Quiet Outburst
by NeonHorizon
Summary: She has a powerful quirk, but a timid personality. All she wants is to become a hero and feel like she belongs. Never really one to speak up or approach others, she quickly finds herself a little overwhelmed by the enthusiasm and friendliness of 1-A. Written for fun. Possible pairings include OC x Shinsou or OC x Bakugou. Undecided.
1. Chapter 1

NeonHorizon: I wanted to make an attempt at writing something a little more lighthearted since I usually write darker sort of stories. It's just for fun so I'm not sure how often I'll update, but I wanted to see if I could write something sweeter.

* * *

She frowned down at the cardboard box, head tilted as she tried to decide what to do with it. The meowing inside would surely draw someone's attention eventually, but she was afraid of what might happen if no one heard them. A quick glance up and down the street showed that the rain had driven most people to rush to their destinations. No one else was hanging around the sidewalk.

_I don't want to just leave them, but if I don't hurry then I'll be late for school._ One of the kittens leaned up out of the box to bat at the surgical mask covering her nose and mouth. She wanted to smile, but she was still worried about their well-being. _If I just leave my umbrella, everything should be fine. Grandma will understand. If this box is still here though…when I get out of school…_

"What are you doing, Shirayuki?"

The girl tensed and bowed her head. She knew that voice. "…Shinsou-kun…"

He stepped closer, peering down at the kittens in the box. "Oh."

"…yeah…" To her surprise, he crouched down beside her on the sidewalk and settled his umbrella over the box to shield it from the rain. _What is he doing? He's going to get soaked if he does that._ To her further surprise, he pried her umbrella from her hand and straightened. "…what…?"

"Let's go. Don't you have perfect attendance?"

She shook her head, but got up and straightened her mask. It made her heart race to walk so close to him. They had gone to the same middle school, but they had never really been friends. They had yet to interact at all since starting high school. She was in class 1-A and he was in class 1-C.

"…hope the rain stops…" she murmured, peering out at the downfall.

He was silent and simply held the umbrella over them both. As they approached the school grounds, his gaze slid over to her. Not much had changed about her since middle school, despite having gotten into the hero course through recommendations.

She was on the shorter side and had long, unruly hair that was a dark shade of violet that almost looked black. Her head was bowed, a few stray locks of hair falling forward to hide the bright crimson hue of her eyes. The surgical mask that she wore was a pale blue color with small flowers embroidered on it. Shinsou knew from middle school that it was used to hide her mouth rather than actually filter her breathing. It was a big insecurity of hers.

They reached the school building, ignoring the odd looks that some of the other students gave them, and she watched him put the umbrella into his locker. "…after school…" she started.

"Just meet me here. I don't live that far from you."

"…o-okay…" The girl bowed and set off for her own locker to change her shoes. _I hope those kittens will be alright. If they're still there after school, I'll take them home with me. Grandma will understand. And if we can't keep them, I'll find homes for them._ Shirayuki had her head down as she walked to her classroom, frowning behind her mask.

She made it to her desk without making eye contact with anyone and sat with her head bowed, her hair falling over her eyes. It was truly a miracle that she managed to get into UA. When she heard the other students talk about the entrance exam, she was very glad that she got in through recommendations. Although, it made her worry. The fact that the entrance exam scared her made her worry about how she would handle being a real hero.

_I'm too early_, she realized as she looked around. Not many of her classmates were there yet so it was just her and a few others. Glancing toward Kirishima and Kaminari, she quickly felt her stomach twisting in knots. _Don't look over here. Please don't look over here. You haven't tried to talk to me yet, but-!_

"Hey, Shirayuki! You're always really early, aren't you?"

She winced. She turned to look their way again, blushing profusely behind her mask. "…ah…y-yeah, sort of…" The girl rubbed the back of her neck, careful not to bump the ties to her mask, and attempted to tilt her head. "…you're…early today, too…"

"I wanted to try to beat the rain, but it started when I was halfway here," Kirishima explained. He walked over to sit on the desk next to hers, smiling. "What about you? I bet you brought two umbrellas, right?"

"You look like the responsible type," Kaminari agreed, taking the seat behind hers. "But it does kind of look like you got wet. Don't tell me! You saw a box with a puppy in it and put your umbrellas up to keep it dry!" He grinned.

"…it was kittens…and one umbrella…" she mumbled, looking away.

"No way! Seriously? Where are they?"

"You've got to show us after school!"

"…I…I'm walking home with someone…"

The two exchanged a curious look. "Boyfriend?"

"…n-no…" Her face went from pink to red. "…just…someone…"

"You're in my seat. Move it." Bakugou's voice broke through the conversation, drawing everyone's attention. Kaminari moved to the seat in front of Shirayuki, frowning at their grumpy classmate.

The girl talked a little bit more with Kirishima and Kaminari before they had to go to their desks. Sitting quietly now, she kept her head bowed. She had never actually spoken to Bakugou. He was intimidating. He was in the worst possible seat; right behind the quietest girl in class. Every time he raised his voice, she flinched and was tempted to duck under her desk.

_I need to be tougher than this_, she thought as she trembled. _But I can feel him glaring at me. And I'm too afraid to ask Aizawa-sensei if I can change desks. He's intimidating, too! _Shirayuki tried to focus on what Aizawa was saying, but she was too distracted by the glare piercing into the back of her head.

Between classes, she hoped that her classmate would calm down and talk to his friends. Or at the very least stop glaring at her. _Is he really that angry that Kaminari-kun was in his seat?_ Shirayuki's eyes widened when she heard him speak.

"Hey, red eyes. Your hair's wet."

She was now shaking too much to actually hold her pencil. "…I-I didn't have much cover from my umbrella…" she explained, softly. Shirayuki chanced a look over her shoulder and saw his stare directed at her dark hair.

"Where do you live?"

"…what…?"

"Where do you live?!" he repeated in a growl.

_I have no idea what's going on right now, but why is he shouting?! _Shirayuki was about to blurt out her general neighborhood, but was thankfully interrupted.

"Shirayuki, I brought your book back." Midoriya approached her desk, having gone the long way around the row of desks to get there. He held out one of her favorite folklore books and smiled. "This was really interesting. Thanks for lending it to me."

"We're in the middle of something, Deku." The light-haired boy scowled up at Midoriya, who simply frowned. "Where the hell do you live?" he repeated again, looking back to Shirayuki.

"Kacchan, don't shout at her..."

"I'm just asking her a question!"

Shirayuki crossed her arms in front of her on the desk and bit her lower lip, her frown hidden behind her mask. "…I…I live with my grandmother near-"

Thankfully, she was interrupted again. This time she was interrupted by the next class beginning. _Why did he want to know where I live? I can't imagine that he wanted to walk me home. Not someone like him. I can feel him glaring at me again._ Sweat collected along her hairline and she felt her lip begin to bleed from how hard she was biting it.

At lunch time, she sat by herself in the cafeteria. She tried to avoid people at all costs when she ate. At the beginning of the school year, Shirayuki tried to take her food elsewhere to eat, but had been told by a teacher that she should try to socialize. So she compromised. She ate with her head down, trying to keep her mouth hidden as best she could.

The girl was just about to pull down her mask when three figures approached her table and helped themselves to the seats around hers. Crimson eyes lifted and widened as she saw Kirishima, Kaminari, and Ashido. "…am I…in your spot…?"

"Oh. Er…maybe we should've asked first? Can we sit with you?" Kirishima beamed, hesitantly holding his tray over the table's surface.

"…i-it's okay…" she conceded.

"I wanted to hear about the kittens you saw this morning," Ashido spoke up. She sat beside Shirayuki, smiling brighter than the sun.

_So…bright. All three of them are so bright and cheerful. And I just…don't fit in at all. We're all training to become heroes, but I don't fit in with them at all._ Despite these dark thoughts, Shirayuki mumbled her earlier explanation to Ashido and winced when the girl enthusiastically asked to walk with her after school.

She waited for the other three to be preoccupied with their meals before pulling down her mask and letting it settle loosely around her neck. The last thing she wanted was for them to stare at her mouth. In adaptation to her quirk, her mouth was wider than a normal person's. A full two inches wider. She felt like a monster each time she had to open her mouth in front of others.

"Whoa. You're pretty hungry, huh?" Kaminari asked, pointing at the rather large portions of food sitting in front of her.

"…yeah…" Shirayuki bowed her head further, lifting a bunch of ramen to her mouth. "…it…gets expensive…" Sitting with the group of three, she started to feel a little less out of place. No one mentioned her mouth, despite her knowing that she looked like some sort of nightmare creature. Plenty of people looked strange, but she was extremely self-conscious.

Walking back to class with them, she could not help but smile behind her mask. In middle school, she had been a shut in. She studied, went to school, went home, and that was it. No friendships to speak of. No clubs. She had hoped that high school would be a good chance to turn it around, even though she was terrified by the thought of approaching others.

Sitting at her desk again, the girl looked out at the continuous downpour. _It's still raining. What am I going to tell Shinsou-kun after school?_


	2. Chapter 2

NeonHorizon: I had some free time so I wrote this. Figured you might want more content to read? I don't know. I kind of like this story so far. It's relaxing for me to work on. Not a lot of pressure like some of my other stuff. Enjoy.

* * *

He stood waiting for several minutes, staring out at the rain. It was just as heavy as it had been that morning so he knew that she would need to come back for her umbrella. Looking down at it, he really did not want to be seen walking in the rain with it alone. It was printed with little flowers, just like her mask.

_Where is she?_ He looked over his shoulder at the other students that were getting ready to leave and he tried to find her in the crowd. Shinsou frowned and rubbed the back of his neck. It was unlikely that she would appear until the bulk of the crowd had dispersed.

He had known her since he was nine. She had transferred to his elementary school and was a gloomy girl back then. Always kept to herself. Always reading a weird book that no one else seemed to know about.

Even back then, she wore that surgical mask to hide her mouth and nose. He knew what she looked like though. In their last year of elementary school, another boy had ripped it off of her face and exposed her mouth. It was wide. Strange-looking. She had cried for the rest of that day and refused to look at any of her classmates for the rest of the week after that.

Settling the umbrella across his shoulder, he decided to look for her. Sure enough, she was hanging around her shoe locker and glancing anxiously toward the crowded exit. Shinsou's eyes narrowed and he followed her gaze. "The sooner we leave, the sooner you'll be away from that."

"…I know…" she assured him. "…but…I'm scared…"

"It's fine." He stood with her for a while, but meandered away when he saw a few other students from 1-A approaching to talk to her. _Did she make friends?_

The students were two boys and a girl. The one with red hair was smiling and immediately launched into a conversation with Shirayuki, seeming to not notice how nervous she was. The blond seemed happy to just go along with what he was saying and the pink-haired girl was talking about seeing kittens.

_She's taking them to the kittens_, he realized. Looking out toward the rain once more, he vaguely wondered if they were alright in the storm. _What am I supposed to do now?_

"…Shinsou-kun…um…I-I can bring your umbrella tomorrow…"

Hearing her call to him, he casually looked over his shoulder and shrugged. "You remember where I live?" He saw her glance away and nod. "Bring it to my house when you can." Again, she nodded. Shinsou watched her walk to the exit with the other three students and wondered if she intended to share the other girl's umbrella. Instead, he saw the red-haired boy open his umbrella and she stepped closer to him. _Oh. I see._

**Shift P.O.V**

"Did you have a good day at school, Ume?" Her grandmother's eyes widened when she turned away from the kitchen and saw her granddaughter standing there with three other teenagers and a box of kittens. "Oh! I'm sorry. I'm not used to Ume bringing friends home. I'll get some tea started. Ume, can you get your friends some towels? You all look drenched."

Her face burned pink with shame, but she went to get some towels. _They insisted on coming over because they wanted to see where I live. I've never had people come over before. How do I explain this? And…are we friends?_ Bringing the towels back with her, she quietly apologized for the inconvenience and handed them out to her classmates.

The girl's grandmother returned from the kitchen with a tray, bearing a tea pot and mismatching mugs. "I'm sorry that we don't have anything fancy; it's just green tea," the old woman said. "We don't usually have guests."

"…grandmother…these are my classmates…" Shirayuki heard the others introduce themselves and felt her heart skip a beat when she heard them say that they were her friends. _Really? Are we really friends now?_

"I didn't know that your name was Ume," Ashido remarked. "That's a cute name! Is it written as "plum" like your hair color?"

"…yes…" She bowed her head, feeling extremely embarrassed. Her grandmother had given her the name. "…it's…"

"It's a little old-fashioned. I'm sorry, Ume." Her grandmother beamed. "Oh! I'll get some snacks! I'm sure that your friends are probably hungry."

"Your grandma seems really nice," Kirishima spoke up. "So is it just you and her?" He saw her give a slight nod. "You don't have any brothers or sisters?"

"…only child…" Her stomach was starting to do flips as she realized that all eyes were on her. "…um…my grandmother raised me since I was nine…it's just the two of us here so…I've never really had time for much besides studying and chores…I don't like to leave her alone because it's dangerous…"

"Are we your first friends?" Kaminari asked, excitement leaking into his tone. He seemed completely unaware of what he was implying.

"…y-yeah…I-I mean…if we're friends…if you want to be friends with me…" Her eyes widened when she felt herself being pulled into a hug by the pink-haired girl beside her. "…wh-what…?!"

"Of course we want to be friends with you! Ugh! I can't get over how adorable you are, Ume-chan!"

She winced. "…can you not…call me that name…?"

"How about "Yuki"? Like a nickname?" Kirishima suggested.

"…I…I like that…"

"It's really cute! Yuki-chan suits you pretty well," Kaminari agreed.

Shirayuki smiled behind her mask and nodded once. _A nickname. That's something that friends call each other by, right? Does this mean that we're really, truly friends?_

The others stayed for a little while longer before they had to go to their own homes. By then, the rain had at least died down to a slight drizzle. Shirayuki looked out at the puddle-ridden sidewalk and wet pavement, frowning at the sight of lightning in the distance. _It might start again. I need to take Shinsou-kun's umbrella to him before it gets worse._

"Those friends of yours are very polite," her grandmother commented. She was settling into her favorite chair in front of the television, a cup of tea in hand. "You know, Ume, you don't need to be afraid of having people over. I don't mind a little mess. You're a teenager; it's good for you to have some friends."

She nodded, but could not help feeling as if her grandmother felt bad for her. Since moving in with her grandmother, she had not made a single friend. She knew that it was more than a little pathetic. It made it feel that much better now that she had somehow managed to make not one, but three friends.

Putting on a coat, she turned to look at the old woman over her shoulder. "…I need to take this umbrella to someone…I'll be back soon…" Shirayuki felt a certain tremor in her limbs, a sensation of weakness settling into her body. She silently cursed herself. The errand would have to be quick.

"Alright. Make sure you're home in time for dinner. The rice should be done soon." The woman's brow furrowed as she looked at Shirayuki. "Ume? Ume, dear, did you use your quirk at school today?"

"…I did, but…not too much…I'll be back soon…" Her footsteps were quick, a renewed sense of urgency taking hold of her as she gripped Shinsou's umbrella.

Once outside, it took her a moment to remember where exactly he lived. They did live in the same neighborhood, but it had been a while since she had to know where his home was. The two had been forced to work on a project together in middle school so she had gone there once or twice to exchange notes.

Walking through the light rain, Shirayuki almost wanted to remove her mask so she could enjoy the scent of the storm. The air felt cool and refreshing against the upper half of her face as she splashed through puddles. Her mask was getting a little wet, making it stick to her cheeks and the bridge of her nose. _Where was it…? I'm sure it was around here somewhere._

**Shift P.O.V**

He stood on the corner for a moment, watching her. The girl was leaning against a fence, head bowed and her dark hair falling over her face. Even from this distance, he could see that she was shaking and struggling to look around at her surroundings. Shinsou knew immediately what was wrong. He had seen this happen in middle school when she used her quirk to try to defend herself from some bullies. _Her blood sugar is low. She must have used her quirk._

Crossing the street, he approached her from the side and leaned down to peer into her eyes. "Hey, Shirayuki."

"…Shinsou-kun…I brought your umbrella…" she replied, weakly.

The boy glanced at the umbrella and accepted it, his gaze soon fixing upon her trembling hand. "You don't look so good," he started.

"…I'm fine…just…a little shaky…light-headed…"

"Your blood sugar is low." He rubbed the back of his neck, looking away when she gave him a questioning glance. "Come on. I got food from the convenience store."

"…I…couldn't take food from you…I'm sorry…"

Shinsou's eyes narrowed. It was clear that she was embarrassed; her face was bright red behind her surgical mask. He knew that she would refuse his offer if he made it again. There was only one option if he wanted to make sure she did not collapse. "Did you take those cats home?"

"…y-yeah…my grandma…said that I could try to find them homes and…" Shirayuki went silent, her body unmoving as she stared back at him.

He took her hand without saying a word to her, easily getting her to follow him home. _Her quirk eats up any calories she consumes throughout the day_, he remembered as he watched her eat. _The more calories, the more powerful her quirk is. She isn't dieting, is she? Or did she just forget to plan ahead?_

When she had finished eating the food he put in front of her, she sat with her head down. The mask was hanging loosely around her neck, revealing her wide mouth and pale pink lips. There was a small cut on her lower lip, most likely made by her biting at it. "…thank you…" she finally murmured.

"Are you feeling better?" He saw her nod. "Good. Go home, Shirayuki. It's going to rain again."

She stood, her dark hair falling over her face as she secured her mask once more. "…Shinsou-kun…thank you again…for this morning…"

The boy ran a hand through his hair and turned away. "You said that you have the kittens at your house, right?" He saw the girl nod. "I want to come see them."

"…do you…want to come over on Sunday…?"

"Tomorrow. After school. What's your address?"


	3. Chapter 3

NeonHorizon: A chapter where someone else tries to make friends (?) with Shirayuki...?

* * *

She could feel eyes on her and it was making her blush. The warmth spread across her cheeks and to her ears, making her certain that everyone could see how embarrassed she was. Bowing her head to try to hide it, she attempted to focus on her book and chewed on her lower lip behind her mask. _Class is starting soon. I just need to hold on until then. Why can't I just be normal and look around though? If I saw who was looking at me…if I was normal…I could try to start a conversation._

"Yuki-chan, did you want help finding homes for those kittens? I might be able to find some people that want them." The female voice came from her right, drawing her attention to Ashido. The pink-haired girl beamed when she saw Shirayuki look over. "There were four of them, right?"

"…yeah…just four…" Shirayuki summoned forth some courage and closed her book, letting it sit in front of her. "…y-you want to help me…?"

"Yeah. It's what friends do, right?"

The dark-haired girl felt her stomach do happy flips and smiled behind her mask. "…y-yeah…probably…"

"Hey, what are you mumbling about?"

She flinched at the demanding tone of the boy behind her and bowed her head again. "…sorry…"

"Hey, don't yell at her! It's none of your business anyway!"

Class started and Shirayuki sank a bit lower in her seat, wary of blocking Bakugou's line of sight. In the seat in front of her, she was unable to see Hagakure, but she was anxious of the girl possibly looking in her direction. _Why couldn't I have a quirk like Hagakure-san's? It would be a lot better than what I have…_

She eventually relaxed enough to focus on what the teacher was saying, but felt guilty about being so anxious. It had been the same way in middle school; she got nervous any time someone talked to her or even looked at her for too long. Thinking about middle school made her remember the previous evening, when she went to return Shinsou's umbrella.

It was surprising that he knew her blood sugar was low. Even more surprising was when he used his own quirk to make her cooperate with him and eat. Their interaction in middle school was minimal at best. He had friends. Not a ton of friends, but he had some. She had no friends and, despite working with him a few times on projects for class, she was afraid to try to break into a circle of friends.

"Hey, red eyes. I'm talking to you."

Shirayuki winced and snapped out of her thoughts as one of the legs of her seat was kicked. She bit her lip behind her mask and turned her head to acknowledge Bakugou. "…sorry…"

"We're supposed to pair up and I don't feel like getting up."

"…ah…s-sorry…I'll move…" She moved to grab her book, but her chair was kicked again. "…uh…?!"

"Did I tell you to go? We're pairing up."

_This is a bad match._ Shirayuki glanced toward the rest of the class. Most of the others had already paired off. "…a-are you sure…?"

"Yuki-chan! Hey, come sit with us! I need a partner," Ashido called to her.

"She's taken!" Bakugou shouted back. "Move your chair."

The girl reluctantly turned her chair around, giving their teacher a pleading glance that went completely unnoticed. Present Mic was teaching now and his attention was elsewhere. _I wasn't listening. I don't even know what we're supposed to be doing. He's going to get mad at me. Why can't he just pick a different person to pair up with for this?_

Trembling slightly, she sat with her eyes averted and kept her worksheet on her knees. She was too afraid to put it on his desk because she was sure that he would get angry at her for invading his personal space. "…what…what are we doing…?" The words came out very quietly and she jumped when his eyes narrowed on her. "…B-Bakugou-kun…?"

"Why do you keep looking at them?"

Shirayuki awkwardly rubbed the back of her neck, bowing a little so her hair fell over her eyes. "…I…um…w-we're friends and…Ashido-chan wanted me to work with her…I just…feel bad…s-sort of…"

"You're friends with them?"

"…yeah…?" She saw his head turn, eyes shifting away from her toward the group of talkative classmates. They both sat in silence for a moment, both looking in the direction of Kirishima, Ashido, and Kaminari. _I don't think I've seen Bakugou sit with anyone at lunch or between classes. He has friends, doesn't he? He got a high score on the entrance exam…and he isn't bad looking. He probably has friends._

"Whatever." He looked toward her again and scowled when he saw that she was still looking at them. Reaching across the desk, he grabbed a strand of her hair and tugged. "Hey! Pay attention!"

"Ah…s-sorry…" Shirayuki did her best to collaborate with him on the worksheet, but felt her stomach twist in knots every time he looked at her. _He reminds me of a bully from middle school_, she finally realized. _That's why he's so intimidating. Why didn't he just ask Midoriya to pair up with him? They at least know each other._ Pushing a lock of hair behind her ear, she felt him glaring at her again and she began to sweat a little.

When lunchtime came, she felt that she could not escape the classroom soon enough. Sitting at her usual table, in her usual seat, she found herself looking around the cafeteria. She saw Shinsou sitting with some other students from his class and remembered that he planned to visit her house after school. Her gaze skimmed over the rest of the cafeteria until it settled on the intimidating boy that sat behind her in class.

He did not seem to be sitting with anyone in particular because he was keeping to himself and focusing on his lunch. The other students at his table were involved in their own private conversations and not acknowledging him. Shirayuki subtly tilted her head, puzzled. _Maybe he doesn't have friends…?_ She tensed as he suddenly lifted his gaze and glared at her.

"What're you staring at, Yuki-chan?" Kirishima set his tray down beside hers and followed her line of sight to where Bakugou was now scowling across the room at them. "Huh?"

"…he's…mad at me…" She looked down at her lunch, stomach twisting in knots again. "…I…wouldn't blame you…if you didn't want to sit with me…"

"No way! We're friends, right? And we didn't get to sit together earlier." He sat beside her as Ashido and Kaminari sat across from them.

"Whoa. That's a ton of food," Kaminari remarked.

Ashido elbowed him, frowning. "Rude. You know she needs to eat a lot to be able to use her quirk. We've got a class with All Might this afternoon, right?"

"…yeah…" Shirayuki gave a small nod and pushed down her mask so she could eat. Feeling self-conscious, she chanced a glance up from her food. A pair of rage-filled red eyes were fixed on her from across the room and a chill ran down her spine. _I shouldn't have looked at him. He hates me now. Why did I have to look at him?! No one likes to be watched while they eat!_

She walked back to the classroom with her new friends, but separated from them when Midoriya approached her to ask about borrowing a book. Shirayuki always carried a few obscure folklore and mythology books in her bag so she was more than happy to share them. The first time he had showed interest in her books, she had hoped that they could become friends. "…did you like the last one…?" she murmured, rummaging in her bag.

"It was really interesting. A lot of the European folklore really seemed like it was referencing people with quirks. I liked it a lot." He smiled when he saw her draw a book of Greek mythology from her bag, eyes widening. "Thanks, Shirayuki-san. I'll try to give it back as soon as I can."

Behind her mask, she smiled back at him. He seemed to be able to tell by the way the corners of her eyes wrinkled slightly. "…no problem…"

"S-so, um, I heard that you found a box of kittens yesterday…?"

Shirayuki nodded and reached into her bag for her phone. "…I…have some pictures…and I'm…trying to find them homes…"

Before Midoriya could lean down to look at the pictures, he was interrupted. "Move it, Deku. You're blocking my way." Bakugou glared first at him and then at Shirayuki. "What are you doing?"

"Kaachan, she was just showing me her cats."

"Let me see." He grabbed her wrist and pulled her phone closer, eyes focusing on the photo displayed on the screen. "Those are the cats everyone keeps talking about?"

The girl tensed at the skin on skin contact. She began to tremble and lowered her eyes. "…my arm…"

"What? Speak up, red eyes."

"…c-can I…have my arm back…?" she murmured.

A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth and he leaned down. "What're you gonna do about it?"

Her anxiety from his tone mixed with a fresh nervousness of a guy being so close and she felt her face turning red, the heat extending to her ears again. He saw this and let go, taking his seat behind her. She mumbled an apology to Midoriya and quickly put away her phone. _I need to calm down. I just need to calm down. Deep breaths. It's not a big deal. The day is already half over._

The girl's small amount of confidence was gradually replenishing until it came time for All Might's class. Standing outside in her gym uniform, Shirayuki had to wonder if there was a higher power at all. She had to wonder what she might have done in a previous life to deserve the amount of stress that she was being forced to deal with that day. The second that All Might told everyone to pair up for an obstacle course, she felt her blood run cold.

Looking to the rest of the class, she tried to quickly locate someone to pair up with. Again, most of the others had already found partners. _This is my worst nightmare. Why do they keep making us pair up with other people? Why can't we do this alone?_ Shirayuki anxiously scratched at her wrist, glancing at All Might and hoping he might suddenly change his mind about the lesson.

"Hey! Yuki-chan, over here! I don't have a partner yet!" Kirishima called to her. He waved, smiling in a warm and welcoming way that made her instantly feel a little better about the situation. When he saw her start toward his little group, his smile grew for a moment, but then faltered when he saw the figure behind her.

"She's taken!" Bakugou looked down at her with a smirk.

"…why…?"


	4. Chapter 4

_I can't do this!_ Shirayuki looked to All Might, hoping that he would see how uncomfortable she was with her partner. Silently praying that he might suggest a new partner. The hero had his back to her, talking to a few of the other students. A glance over her shoulder showed that Bakugou was giving her an expectant look now. "…I'm…not a good match…" she quietly protested.

"I'm not changing partners. Just deal with it."

She anxiously picked at the loose skin around her left thumbnail, frowning behind her mask. _I can't do this. I can't handle this. He's still mad at me. I know he is. He won't stop glaring at me. I can't be his partner!_ Seeing Kirishima approaching, she felt hope bubbling up.

The redhead smiled as he drew closer and put a hand on Shirayuki's shoulder. "Hey, Yuki-chan. I'll be Bakugou's partner, okay? You want to ask All Might if someone else needs a partner?"

"…ah…y-yeah…alright…" She was starting to cheer up a little, but soon felt a hand close around her wrist and pull her back from Kirishima. "…ah…?"

"I said she's taken! I'm not changing partners so just find someone else! I called dibs on her," Bakugou argued. As he looked down at the girl, he saw her face turning a vibrant shade of pink behind her mask. "Listen up, red eyes. We're getting the best time on this obstacle course, got it? I wanna win and if we don't, you're paying a penalty."

Her pulse quickened and she chewed at her lower lip for a moment. Kirishima was still looking at them both, obviously concerned. "…I'm…not that strong…"

"Shut up. We're doing this whether you like it or not."

The girl bowed her head and gave the slightest of nods. As she tried to calculate how many calories she had eaten during lunch, her gaze wandered to All Might again. Kirishima was now trying to ask about making a group of three with her and Bakugou. _He's…so nice. And he has such a sweet smile._

Beside her, the girl's partner narrowed his eyes. "What are you staring at?"

"…n-nothing…" Shirayuki slipped the hairband off of her wrist and secured her long, dark hair back away from her eyes. _I can do this. I just have to breathe and stay calm. Deep breaths. Think of a calm lake…_She took a deep breath and exhaled, feeling herself calm little by little.

"We're up first. Come on."

"…y-yeah…" She was acutely aware of the other students staring at them as they approached the obstacle course. Looking it over, it seemed fairly straightforward. There were targets to hit in order to get through different parts of the course as well as various obstacles that they could destroy or attempt to scale in order to get through to the end. Her heart began to race again when she realized why he was so adamant about partnering with her. Their quirks combined would be perfectly suited to maneuvering through the course quickly and efficiently. "…K-Kirishima-kun's hardening quirk…would be good for this, too…"

"Shut up. I picked you for a reason, red eyes."

The signal was given to begin and they ran into the course. Shirayuki was a little surprised to find him pushing her behind him, using his own quirk to take down the first handful of targets. It was when they came to the first big one that he grabbed her hand and pulled her in front of him, giving the command to take it down.

She closed her eyes and felt the pulsing begin in her right arm as she lifted her hand. As a blast of calorie-fueled energy burst from her palm, she felt his grip on her left hand disappear. Shirayuki felt warmth against her back and she realized that he was using his own body to anchor her, keeping her from being knocked down by the force of her own blast.

It was one of her weak points. When using her quirk, she had to typically try to use smaller blasts. The quirk burned up her calories so it was hard for her to put on weight. This was why her hero costume had the chest and legs weighted. The soles of the boots had special textures on them as well to help her keep from slipping if the blast pushed her.

"…ngh…th-thank you…" The target was blown away by the attack, left in shattered pieces and dust. Shirayuki felt a push against her back and the two began running again. _I get it. Between the two of us, we can get rid of the targets pretty quickly. But if he had Kirishima, it would probably take less effort to break through the obstacles._

The rest of the course was conquered in good time. Bakugou took out most of the smaller targets, she took out the larger ones, and their combined force was used to break through any barriers or anything that was absurdly reinforced. Throughout most of the activity, Shirayuki felt herself shaking. It was not just from her rapidly diminishing blood sugar.

As she sat in the grass to spectate the rest of the students' attempts, she tried to recollect herself. It was unnerving to work with someone else so closely. Shirayuki had never used her quirk with someone else before. As nervous as he made her, she had to admit that it was oddly satisfying to watch her blast of energy mix with one of his explosions. The amount of raw power that the two could generate was definitely a good combination.

Redness spread across her face as the grass beside her rustled. From the corner of her eye, she could see him sitting next to her without any concern for how nervous he made her. With trembling hands, she reached up to let her hair down. It fell around her face, hiding the boy from her line of sight. She closed her eyes, trying to do her calm breathing exercise to help her relax a little.

He turned to look when he saw her let her hair down and now he glared, realizing that her eyes were closed and she seemed to be tuning everything out. "Hey!" Reaching over, he grabbed a strand of her hair and tugged at it.

"…ngh…d-did you…say something…?" she muttered. She opened her eyes, but kept her gaze averted from his.

Bakugou leaned over, irritated by her hair hiding her eyes from his view. When he finally saw her and noticed the reddish hue that was blooming in her face, he smirked. "What are you blushing about, red eyes?"

"…n-nothing…" Slouching a little, she started to fidget with the hairband around her wrist. _We get to go home soon. I just have to get through a little more and then…I can go home. Wait. Shinsou-kun wanted to come over to see the kittens. That…shouldn't take long though._ Her eyes lifted as Kaminari and Ashido approached the start of the obstacle course.

After school, Shirayuki tried to be quick about getting to the lockers. She kept her head down as she walked, not wanting to make eye contact with anyone. The lower her blood sugar, the more nervous she seemed to get. Her body was starting to get shaky and weak so she was in a hurry to get home and find a snack.

"Yuki-chan! What are you doing on Sunday?" a cheerful female voice called.

She looked over her shoulder and saw her new friends approaching. A smile began to form behind her mask. "…ah…I don't really do much…on Sundays…"

"Alright, that settles it then! We're all going to hang out on Sunday," Ashido decided. "What time works for you? You seem like an early bird."

"…I…actually tend to stay up kind of late…" she confessed.

"What? I can't picture that," Kaminari remarked. "You study that late?"

"…er…w-well it's not really studying, but…I get caught up reading sometimes…" Shirayuki rubbed the back of her neck, knowing how nerdy she sounded. _I wouldn't be surprised if they tease me about this._

Kirishima grinned. "That's cool. What kind of stuff do you read?"

"…ah…y-you…want to know what I read…?" She saw him nod. "…w-well it's…like…fairy tales and mythology…folklore…"

"Oh! It's like those books that you loan Midoriya, right?" The pink-haired girl beamed when she saw the other girl nod. "You should let me borrow one some time!"

"…y-yeah…if you really want…"

"So what are you doing right now? Just going home?"

Before she could answer, she felt the hair stand up on the back of her neck as her eyes met a pair of narrowed ones. Walking straight toward the group was their grumpy classmate, who seemed to have his attention locked on her. Shaky fingers pushed a lock of her hair behind her ear and she frowned behind her mask. "…I…actually have plans tonight…I'm sorry…"

"It's cool. What are you doing tonight?" Kaminari asked.

"It's probably stuff for your grandma, right? You said that you help with the chores and stuff." Ashido smiled brightly. "Hang on! Don't tell me you've got plans with your boyfriend! That would be so cute!"

Shirayuki's face turned and she lifted her hands, shaking her head. "…n-no…I don't have a boyfriend or…anything like that…" She winced as Bakugou walked past her, half-expecting him to say something to her. Thankfully, he seemed to have decided against confronting her again that day.

The other three saw the way she reacted and Kaminari frowned. "Hey, Yuki-chan. What's going on with you and Bakugou? Is he bullying you?"

"I think it's the opposite of bullying," Kirishima argued.

"…what…does that mean…?" Shirayuki tilted her head. Spotting Shinsou waiting for her near the exit, she turned back to her locker to finish changing shoes. "…I…have to go so…um…about Sunday…?"

"Oh! Yeah! Here; let's exchange phone numbers, okay?"

As she walked to join Shinsou, she could not help but smile down at her contact list in her phone. _I finally have more than one person's number in my phone_, she thought with a blissful fluttering sensation in her stomach. _I have friends._

"You look pretty happy. Did something good happen?" Shinsou spoke up.

The girl flushed pink. "…s-sort of…I exchanged numbers…with some friends…" she replied. "…and…my partner and I…got the fastest time in the obstacle course…"

He peered down at her phone screen and raised an eyebrow. "Sounds like a pretty good day." Reaching into his bag, he drew his phone out. "You should give me your number, too."

"…what…?" Her crimson gaze slid from the screen up to his indigo stare. "…you…want my number…?"

The boy frowned and ran a hand through his hair. He had hoped that she would make it easier. "We're friends, right?"

"…we…are…?" As before, Shirayuki felt her body stop moving and moments later, her number was in his phone and she saw his name listed in her contacts. _What just happened?_ Blinking, she saw him tuck his phone away again. "…um…my grandmother is home so…I-I apologize if she says anything weird…"


	5. Chapter 5

NeonHorizon: People seem to enjoy this fanfic so...I thought that I'd add more content. Also because working on this makes me genuinely happy.

* * *

"Goodness, Ume! If I'd known you were having a friend over, I would have picked up some snacks at the store." The old woman greeted the two teenagers with a smile and bowed slightly to Shinsou. "Hello there, young man. So _you_ must be the boyfriend!"

Shirayuki's face flushed red behind her mask and she shook her head. "…G-Grandma, no…I don't have a b-boyfriend…" she protested.

"Oh? Not yet? When I was your age…" Her grandmother trailed off as she looked at the boy more closely. "Ah! It's _you_! You went to middle school with Ume, didn't you, young man?"

Shinsou felt just slightly awkward and attempted a pleasant smile. "Yes. It's nice to meet you, ma'am."

"Well, now! All of Ume's new friends all have such good manners! Please take good care of my granddaughter!"

"…Grandma, please…" Shirayuki bowed her head, fidgeting with her bag in her hands. "…Shinsou-kun…wanted to see the kittens…"

"Alright, alright. I'm going to make some tea. Go ahead to your room. But leave the door open!"

Shinsou saw a fresh rush of blood go to the girl's face and was almost unable to hide the amusement from leaking into his expression. Following her to her room, he casually checked out the interior of the house. It was decorated mostly traditionally until his eyes fell upon the various waving cat figures that seemed to be placed around the house at random. _What…? Are those hers or her grandmother's?_

Ahead of him, Shirayuki was opening her door with shaking hands. She had seemed a little unsteady since leaving the school and he had taken notice. It was obvious that her blood sugar had dropped from using her quirk, but he was waiting to see if her grandmother intended to bring some food with their tea.

"…s-so…this is my room…um…please excuse the mess…"

The door was opened to reveal a room that he was not expecting. Her shy, polite demeanor had led him to expect a traditionally decorated room or something kind of cutesy. Of course, there were multiple book shelves. That was to be expected. Though, in place of a pink blanket and kitten stuffed animals, he found himself looking at a blood-red quilt that matched her eyes and one large dragon stuffed animal. He blinked, surprised, and then looked around more.

The room's color scheme was darker than anticipated and he saw a few canvases stacked against one wall. The topmost canvas bore a painting that he recognized from middle school. Something that she had done for an art contest. "Nice room," he commented, setting down his bag.

"…th-thank you…" The girl looked around, her eyes narrowing a bit as she seemed to frown behind her mask. "…um…right, so…the kittens…" She knelt on the floor and began looking beneath the bed.

Given nothing else to do, Shinsou turned to look at her desk. There was an older model laptop sitting there alongside scattered pictures of various flowers and a framed photo of her with her grandmother. He saw no other pictures on display. Rubbing the back of his neck, he tried to remember if she had ever said what her parents did. If they lived with her and her grandmother or if they were working overseas.

**Shift P.O.V**

Shirayuki managed to wrangle all four kittens into her arms and lifted them onto the bed, sighing in relief. "…sorry for the wait…"

"It's fine." He stared down at the small, meowing creatures with something akin to excitement in his eyes. "Did you find homes for them yet?"

"…n-not yet…but a classmate said that she'll help me…" She sat on the edge of the bed, near the pillow. Her heart was racing faster than ever before in her life and she knew that her face was still red. _I've never had a boy in my room. I've never had a friend in my room. Even when those others visited…they didn't come in here. What do I do? What do I say? I…I feel awkward._

"Can I sit?" Shinsou raised an eyebrow, his eyes shifting between her and the kittens.

"…y-yes…of course…sorry…" When he sat down, he left about a foot of space between them. He let one of the kittens climb onto his lap and gently rubbed behind its ears, his mouth curling into a soft smile. She felt her pulse speed up again and she bowed her head, hoping to hide her blush behind her mask and hair. "…you're…really good with cats…Shinsou-kun…"

The boy slowly lifted his gaze and saw her fidgeting with the hairband around her wrist, anxiously tugging at it and letting it snap against her skin. He could see the flush of pink on her face contrasting with the light blue of her mask and it made his smile fade. "Do you always wear your mask in your own house?"

"…wh-what…?" She looked up from her lap, puzzled. "…no…I just…I don't wear it if it's just me and my grandmother…you know I'm…not really…"

"You should take it off." He said it casually; apparently not realizing that these words sent her heart into palpitations. "I've already seen your face. There's nothing to hide."

"…I just…I'm self-conscious…" Shirayuki lowered her eyes again, sighing quietly. "…I'm sorry…I just…can't…a-and please…don't use your quirk to make me do it…" The last part was added in just above a whisper.

Shinsou let the kitten down on the floor and leaned down a little to look up into her eyes. "Are you afraid of my quirk?"

She shook her head. "…I'm just…nervous about everything…" the girl confessed. "…I'm sorry…"

"You don't have to apologize." He ran a hand through his bluish-violet hair and he half-closed his eyes. "So you wear that in front of your friends in 1-A?" He saw her nod. There was a moment of hesitation before his next words, but when they came, he saw her blush again. "Take it off."

"…Shinsou-kun, I'm…really self-conscious…"

"I'm your friend," he started to rationalize it. "I won't judge you based on your appearance. Especially because I've already seen it. If you can gain the confidence to take it off in front of one person, maybe you can build up to doing it in front of your other friends."

The girl reached up, now fidgeting with a lock of her hair. "…that…makes sense…but…I'm still scared…" Her eyes widened as a hand gripped her shoulder and she found herself falling back against her pillow, the boy kneeling on the bed and leaning over her. Shirayuki felt her face going from pink to red and her eyes closed tightly. "…Sh-Shinsou-kun…?"

**Shift P.O.V**

This was not how he expected the afternoon to go. He just wanted her to loosen up around him. They had known each for years, but she was always so stiff and proper. Now, looking down at her sprawled beneath him on her bed, he felt a little guilty about his intentions. She was clearly embarrassed and now her eyes were closed. Her long, dark violet hair was in wild waves around her head on the pillow and he caught himself wanting to touch it.

Instead, he let a finger dig beneath one of the thin straps of her surgical mask. He traced along it, the knuckles of his finger trailing along her cheekbone and gently caressing her skin. "You don't need this," he stated firmly. The boy's hand went behind her head, making quick work of the knots that held her mask in place.

As he pulled it away, he saw her nose and mouth come into view. The girl's nose was small and tipped pink from her embarrassment. His eyes were drawn down to her mouth and he tilted his head. Yes, her mouth was wider than most people's, but as he examined it he had to admit that it was still attractive. The shape of her pale pink lips made up for the strange width of her mouth and he resisted the urge to trace her lips with a fingertip. "There," he said as he set the mask aside. "That's not so bad, is it? It's just you and me."

Her eyelids lifted, staring up at him with watery crimson eyes. "…why…?"

Shinsou leaned back, planting a hand on top of the mask to keep her from retrieving it. "Because you're not a freak," he stated bluntly. The tears looked like they might fall and he frowned. Rubbing the back of his neck, he sighed. "You…don't look as bad as you think you do."

Seeming to understand his true meaning, she turned her face to the side and her cheeks went a warmer shade of pink. "…you…think I look okay…?"

"Yeah." This was not how he intended to tell her how he felt. After all, he was unsure if the crush would last or not. So far, it had held true since their last year of middle school.

Her next words confirmed that she actually did not understand his true meaning. "…you think I look normal…?"

Shinsou stared down at her for a long moment before fully drawing away from her. "Something like that. I don't know what you consider "normal". I don't think anyone's "normal"."

Somehow these words did seem to comfort her. She sat up and her lips tugged into a shy sort of smile. Shirayuki pushed a lock of hair behind her ear and glanced toward him. "…th-thank you, Shinsou-kun…you're a good friend…"

An awkward silence fell upon the room as the kittens settled in for a nap at the end of the bed. He was acutely aware of how close Shirayuki was sitting to him and half-smiled when he felt her hand on top of his on the blanket. He wondered if she might feel the same way that he did. "I heard your friends in 1-A calling you "Yuki". Do they think your name is Shirayuki Yuki or…?"

She lifted her free hand to cover a laugh. "…that's…a nickname that Kirishima-kun gave me…because I don't like to be called "Ume"…"

"Hm." The boy lifted his hand, bringing her mask with it. Holding it up, he looked at the embroidered flowers and tried to imagine her grandmother working on the designs.

The door was pushed open a little bit more, admitting Shirayuki's grandmother with a tray bearing two mugs and a teapot. "Oh my goodness! Ume, your mask is off!" The surprise was soon overtaken by delight. She set down the tray and beamed. "You _must_ be close then! Ume never takes off her mask when we have company over! You must be very special to her!"

"…Grandma, please…" Shirayuki looked to her grandmother with a frown, her face back to its normal pale shade. "…I'm just now making friends…I don't want to scare them away…"


	6. Chapter 6

She could feel eyes on her and she was hesitant to look up. Shirayuki knew that her grandmother was smiling, which only made her own smile grow. Keeping her gaze lowered to her plate, she tried to focus on her breakfast. _It's my first Sunday with friends. We're not meeting until later, but…I'm really excited._

"You know, I'm proud of you, Ume. I just want you to know that. You've really started to come out of your shell since you started high school." The old woman lifted her cup of tea, the steam briefly hiding her smile. "Your father would be very proud of you, too."

Shirayuki felt a tightness in her chest as she nodded once. "…ah…I'm meeting friends later…but I won't be out too late…"

"Oh? Do you have plans with Shinsou-kun or those kids from your class?"

"…kids from class…" She finished her food and cleared the table, feeling butterflies in her stomach when she heard Shinsou's name. _He…saw me without my mask. And he wasn't freaked out. He actually…seemed happy._

"Ah! Before I forget, could you run to the store for me, Ume? I made a list and I'll give you a little extra money for a treat."

"…of course…" She took the list and money from her grandmother, promising to be quick. Shirayuki went to her room to select a mask for the day and frowned slightly. _I wonder if I'll ever be able to go to the store without wearing a mask._ The thought made her stomach churn and she shook her head. Settling on a black mask, she secured it over the lower half of her face and set off.

Shirayuki felt anxious about going into the store. No matter how many times she went out in public, she could never get used to it. She always felt as though people were staring at her. The girl knew this was illogical. There was no reason for them to stare. Still, she let her dark violet hair fall around her face to hide it as she walked through the store.

It was around the meat section that she became aware of someone looking at her. Goose bumps formed on her arms, the hair standing up on the back of her neck. She fidgeted with the handle of her shopping basket and chewed at her lower lip, trying to summon forth the courage to keep moving. The sooner she got her groceries, the sooner she could leave and be rid of this uneasy feeling.

"Hey, red eyes! Don't ignore me!"

Her stomach dropped and she tensed. _I didn't hear anyone calling my name. Wait…does he know my name? He keeps calling me "red eyes". Don't we have the same eye color though?_ Shirayuki heard the approaching footsteps and pushed herself to turn around to look at him.

Bakugou stopped a few feet away from her, eyes going to the shopping basket first and then to the girl's face. "What're you doing?"

"…g-getting groceries…for my grandmother…" she mumbled.

"What? Speak up!"

"…getting groceries for my grandmother…" the girl repeated, raising her voice a little. The change in volume made her face start to burn faintly, embarrassed that she might draw attention to herself. "…you're shopping…?"

"None of your business." His gaze lowered from her face now, his expression changing from irritation to slight confusion. He was used to seeing her in her school uniform, gym uniform, or hero costume. This was his first time seeing her in her casual clothes and he seemed surprised.

Shirayuki tended to wear whatever her grandmother bought for her. Her grandmother, being the kind old woman that she was, wanted the girl to dress trendy so she could feel normal. The girl's pants for the day were long shorts with multiple pockets, in a dark red color. Her shirt had long sleeves, a V-neckline, and it was a charcoal color with red star print. "…um…?"

"Not bad." It was said quietly, as if he had not meant to let her hear.

"…s-sorry…?" She took a step back from him, clutching the shopping basket tighter. By now, she knew that her face must be as red as her pants.

"Yuki-chan! Hey, you're out early even on a Sunday?" Kaminari greeted her as he approached. The blond grinned and looked down into her basket. "Are you making something good for lunch?"

"…n-no…ah…my grandmother wanted this stuff so…"

"Oh! You're shopping for her? That's sweet. Hey, Bakugou."

"We're in the middle of something. Beat it."

"What? I just wanted to talk to Yuki-chan for a second. It won't take long." Kaminari turned his attention back to her, his grin fading to a smile. "Hey, so are you excited for tonight? The movie starts around dinner time so Kirishima said we should all get some food afterwards. What do you like to eat?"

"…I'm…not picky…I'll eat anything…" she replied, smiling behind her mask.

The two discussed food for a moment as Bakugou's impatience grew. He crossed his arms, waiting for them to finish. Shirayuki could see that he was becoming annoyed, but she was unsure of why. _He said I was ignoring him, but I didn't hear him calling me. Then he wouldn't tell me why he was here and…got mad at Kaminari-kun for talking to me. I don't understand._

She silently hoped that Kaminari would want to stay with her until she left, but he soon excused himself because he was running an errand. Now more or less alone with Bakugou. Shirayuki glanced toward him and saw a smirk taking form. "…sorry…um…y-you were saying…?"

"You're going to a movie with those nerds tonight?"

"…yes…if you w-wanted to go with us…I-I'm sure Kirishima-kun would…"

"Like hell I'm going to hang out with them."

**Shift P.O.V**

It was pure coincidence that he saw her at the store, but a good coincidence. Something about messing with her gave him immeasurable satisfaction. Especially when he saw her face turning red. She was a weird, skittish girl, but he had to admit that he did not dislike her.

After suffering through her making dull plans with their other classmate for that night, an idea sparked. He grabbed her wrist and started pulling her along down the aisle, the smirk still in place on his lips. "Hurry up! We've got plans now, red eyes!"

"…w-wait a second…what…plans…?" Her voice was muffled by her mask and when he looked at her over his shoulder, the girl's face was a vibrant pink.

"We're gonna go somewhere. Quit looking so nervous; you're making people gawk." Bakugou stared her down until she seemed to be attempting a smile behind her mask. _Damn it. What are we going to do? I didn't think of anything._

He had acted a little rashly, he had to admit. Something about seeing her be so friendly with their classmate had irritated him. It was the same as when he saw her hanging out with her friends at lunch or between classes. He knew it was jealousy, but he had yet to determine why he felt that way. The two had hardly spoken, though he wanted to change that. On this day, he intended to change that.

As she finished up her shopping, he thought back to the obstacle course from a few days ago. The force of her energy blasts and the sheer destruction that she was capable of. Inevitably, he remembered how he had used his own body to anchor her and keep her from being knocked off her feet. They had been a powerful team. This gave him an idea of what they could do.

**Shift P.O.V**

Shirayuki finally pulled her arm free when she needed to pay for her groceries. She cast a nervous glance in his direction as the clerk accepted her money and started to bite her lower lip again. "…um…I need to take these home…" she started.

"Wait for me."

"…why…?" Nonetheless, she was too polite to walk away after hearing his request. Standing out in front of the store, head bowed, she tried to think of an excuse to separate from him. She could still feel the warmth of his hand around her wrist, lingering on her skin. Scratching at it, she frowned.

Her thoughts went to something strange that Kirishima had said, just days earlier. When Kaminari had asked if Bakugou was bullying her, Kirishima had remarked that he thought it was the opposite of that. _What does that mean though? Does he think that Bakugou wants to be friends with me? I can't imagine…someone like him…wanting to be friends with someone like me._ Her eyes half-closed and she sighed. _Our quirks…are kind of similar. They're powerful. Maybe he just wants to talk about that._

She needed to take the groceries home so she tried to prepare herself to go inside quickly and avoid needing to introduce him to her grandmother. She was unsure of how she would even introduce him. As far as she knew, they were just classmates. Thankfully, he waited outside for her.

Shirayuki emerged from her house to find him leaning against the fence outside. "…ah…s-so…what did you want to do…?" She nervously ran her fingers along a lock of dark hair that was hanging loosely beside her face.

Bakugou's eyes narrowed as he straightened from leaning back. He saw the anxious way that she fidgeted with her hair and reached out to tightly grip her wrist. "We're gonna go for a walk."

Somehow, the way that he said it felt almost threatening. Even without the smirk and the tone of his voice, Shirayuki was uneasy at the thought of spending time alone with a boy again. She was still adjusting to suddenly having friends so to move on to spending time alone with a boy was a bit overwhelming. "…where…?"

"There's a forest near here."

The girl began to tremble, ever so slightly. "…f-forest…?"

"What? You have a problem? You don't want to go with me?" he demanded.

Intimidated, she shook her head. "…I'm just…I-I'm not good at…conversation so…you might get bored…or…"

"I never said we were gonna talk!" The boy glared down at her and saw her face turning red again, her eyes closing. He reached to her hair with his free hand and tugged, making the girl wince. "You're too quiet anyway. I can barely hear you when you talk. You need to speak up! Yell something!"

Her stomach was doing flips and she shook her head again, biting at her lower lip harder than before. She tasted blood and lifted a hand over her mask, where it covered her mouth. "…ah…"

He started to lead her again, that satisfied smirk from before easily retaking his features. "Quit looking scared. I'm doing this to help you. You should be thanking me, red eyes."


	7. Chapter 7

The sounds of the city faded away the closer they got to the forest and Shirayuki felt conflicted. The birds and wind made her feel calm, but then she remembered what was happening. She was walking into a forest with someone that she was pretty sure disliked her. A glance over showed a confident smirk on the boy's face and it sent a shiver down her spine. "…how far…are we going…?"

"What? Speak up, red eyes."

She took a deep breath, her hands curling into tight fists as she tried to summon forth some courage. "…ah…how far are we going…?" she repeated, slightly louder. "…I have plans tonight…"

The smirk fell, his mouth twisting in displeasure. The grip on her wrist tightened and he gritted his teeth as a very faint pink hue rose to his face. "So what? Do you like him or something?"

"…d-do I like…Kaminari-kun…?"

"The other one! That one with the shitty hair! Do you like him?!"

Shirayuki's fists loosened and she rubbed the back of her neck. "…I…admire him…we're friends…"

"You know what I mean!" Bakugou let go of her wrist now and turned to glare at her. They had gone a good distance from the street so he knew that she was unlikely to separate from him; she had not even known about the forest.

Seeing the hint of warmth in his face, it made her start to blush with embarrassment. "…y-you mean like…?"

"Yeah. So do you like him or what?"

"…I-I don't…know him well enough…" she admitted. The girl nervously ran her fingers along her dark hair, head bowed as she suddenly felt too anxious to meet his gaze. _He…looks scary right now. Like he'd eat me._

The scowl was now replaced with a wolfish sort of grin. "Great. So you won't care if you miss hanging out with those nerds, right?"

Her pulse quickened and she shook her head. "…n-no…I mean, I…promised that I'd meet them tonight for a movie and…I-I don't like breaking promises…"

"So just tell them you won't be there. You've got his number."

"…but I don't…um…I don't want to miss…" Her hand was gripped now, her palm meeting Bakugou's, and she felt a rush of heat to her face. Shirayuki had never held hands with a boy before. Not even in elementary or middle school. Boys had never really gotten that close with her. A fluttery feeling began in her chest as he started leading her deeper into the forest along the path.

The girl's current situation was starting to remind her of a European fairy tale. A wolf, approaching a girl that was bringing food to her grandmother, along a forest path. There were a few variations concerning the ending, but she knew one almost inevitable part was when the wolf ate the girl. _Is Bakugou-kun like a wolf? That smile gave me goose bumps. I can't stop thinking about how much he reminds me of that bully from middle school._

Shirayuki's back hit a tree trunk when they reached a clearing and she winced as his face drew close to hers. An arm braced against the tree trunk above her head, letting him lean down to her eye level. "…wh-what…?"

"What're you blushing about, red eyes?"

"…I…I don't know…" Her heart's palpitations were making her feel weak, her knees starting to shake a little. The warmth in her face increased and she closed her eyes. "…Bakugou-kun…you're too close…"

"Speak up! You always mumble like that nerd Deku!"

"I-I said you're too close!" she shouted, a hand planting on his chest and pushing. He actually moved back a little and blinked in surprise when he heard her raise her voice. His eyes went to the hand still on his chest and his smirk returned. "…I…I didn't mean to push you, but…"

"Come on! Yell at me like that again! Louder this time!"

"…I…I don't like…yelling at people…please just…"

"Do it or I'll make you regret it!" he snarled, leaning in close again. His free hand left his pocket, gripping her chin tightly and forcing her head back a little. "Come on, red eyes! Stand up for yourself! What if I was gonna take advantage of you?! What would you do?"

"STOP IT!" Shirayuki's right hand lifted and a blast of energy struck the tree right behind him. The bark smoldered and she felt tears of embarrassment form at the corners of her eyes. "…I-I'm sorry…I could have hurt you…"

Bakugou grinned, looking over his shoulder at the smoking tree bark. "That was awesome! Do it again! You've gotta yell like that when you use your quirk!"

"…n-no way…I can't…" She was released and slid down the tree trunk, sitting on the ground. Wrapping her arms around herself, she closed her eyes. _I yelled at him! And I almost hit him with an energy blast!_ Her eyes shot open as a hand gripped hers and she was hauled to her feet. "…B-Bakugou-kun…"

**Shift P.O.V**

His eyes narrowed and he pushed her back against the tree again. The first time he had used his quirk for class, no one acted impressed. No one except for her. Shirayuki's eyes had widened and she appeared genuinely amazed by his quirk. He was unsure if her reaction really made him happy or if it was just her reaction compared to the indifference of everyone else, but it had made him notice her.

She was trembling now. He could feel it through his grip on her hand and he could see that her knees were shaking. "Shoot a blast at that tree over there," he demanded, nodding toward a particularly sturdy tree.

"…I-I don't…want to…"

"Just do it!" Bakugou crossed his arms and waited for her to comply. When she tried to give him a pleading look, he met it with a glower. She lifted a shaking hand and shot a blast of energy at the tree, leaving the bark broken and slightly indented. When she shot it, her body stumbled back into the tree behind her and she smacked her head against the trunk.

The girl whimpered, rubbing at the bruise forming on her scalp. "…B-Bakugou-kun…I don't want to do this…"

"Tough." He grabbed her hand to pull her away from the tree. "Stand like you're gonna shoot again." She obeyed and he grimaced. Her legs were together, shoulders hunched forward in anxiety. "Wrong. You're definitely gonna fall over if you stand like that. Idiot. I'll show you how it's done."

The boy moved closer and nudged her legs apart with his knee from behind. Grabbing her left leg, he posed it behind her to help steady her and then he repositioned her right leg in front of her, keeping them spread, but steady. Next he gripped her shoulders and squared them. "Try again."

As she attempted to shoot the tree again, he felt a sense of pride. This time, she remained standing. The recoil did send her leaning back a little, but she managed to stay upright. Thankfully, her attention was completely on the damaged bark and her triumph rather than the boy. He hated it, but there was a faint heat in his face from having touched her.

Shirayuki was thin due to her quirk consuming all of the calories she ate so he was expecting her to be kind of boney, but her limbs were surprisingly toned. Now she was looking at him with awe. That same sort of awe that she had shown when she first saw him use his quirk. When she bowed and thanked him, he rubbed the back of his neck and frowned. "Now you won't be as useless in a fight," he growled, trying to ignore the butterflies in his stomach.

**Shift P.O.V**

_I did it…? I did it!_ She looked from the broken tree bark to the boy and felt a smile tugging at her lips behind her mask. Shaking now from low blood sugar as well as excitement, the girl sat against the tree from before. "…I…I'm really thankful…for your help…"

He sat next to her and ran a hand through his ash blond hair. "Yeah, well, if we're going to pair up, I want you to be able to stand up by yourself," he grumbled. The boy rummaged in his backpack and produced a wrapped sweet bun. "Here. You like sweet stuff, right? And you've gotta get your blood sugar back up."

"…thank you…" Shirayuki bowed her head and turned away slightly as she lowered her mask. The first bite sent a pleasant feeling running through her and she closed her eyes. She could feel him looking at her as she ate, but in this moment she was too distracted to care. She was so happy about getting help with her quirk.

When a hand reached over, she jolted at the sudden feeling of his thumb drawing over the corner of her lips and collecting some filling that was smudged there. Her face instantly turned red, heart racing and stomach doing flips. "…Bakugou-kun…?" She saw him lick the filling off of his thumb and quickly lowered her gaze again.

"What're you blushing about, red eyes?"

"…n-nothing…!" The rest of her snack was eaten in a hurry and she tried not to let any more food get on her face. _When he stares at me like that, it makes my chest feel tight. Like I can't breathe. What is this?_

"I heard those nerds say you live with your grandma. What about your parents?" When he asked this, he was looking straight ahead rather than at her.

The jittery, almost happy feeling that she had experience before started to fade. "…my mom…works overseas and sends us money…and my dad…was a pro hero…"

"He was?"

"…he…was killed on the job…when I was seven…s-so I decided to become a hero…to carry on his name…" she quietly explained. Settling her mask back in place, Shirayuki frowned. "…I need to go home soon…"

Bakugou gritted his teeth and stood, glaring down at the girl. "Fine. I don't care anyway." He started off, listening to her stand up and start to follow him. Turning toward her, he held out his hand. She simply stared at it, puzzled. "Hold my hand, red eyes! Why do you think I'm doing this?!"

"…s-sorry…" Shirayuki took his hand and blushed pink when she felt his fingers lace with hers. _Is this normal?_

"Just stay close, okay?"

"…alright…" Her eyes had been focused on the ground as she walked, but now they wandered up toward his face. He was looking away, but she could see a faint hint of pink in his cheeks. "…what…what was this today…?" she stammered. "…you…wanted me to come here…and…I don't know…if you want to be friends or…if you're teasing me…"

His face went red and he scowled. "What're you saying?! It's not like I like you or something!"


	8. Chapter 8

NeonHorizon: Hey, so...just wondering...which guy do you prefer?

* * *

They're_ probably mad about yesterday! I wouldn't blame them if they think I'm a bad friend now! I didn't mean for it to happen, though!_ Shirayuki walked briskly down the hallway, her head down as she nervously chewed at her bottom lip. Her heart was beating fast, her stomach coiling in knots of dread at losing her first group of friends.

As she entered the classroom, she immediately spotted the three other teenagers and bowed her head even lower. She hurried to her seat, thankful that they seemed to be busy. Shirayuki could hear them talking and it did nothing to help her calm down. The more she thought on it, the more she was sure that they probably hated her now.

With trembling hands, she dug through her bag for a book and opened it. Reading usually helped her relax. If nothing else, she might be able to distract herself from the situation for a moment. However, she soon found herself reading the same sentence over and over again. Sighing in defeat, she put her head down and closed her eyes.

_Deep breaths. A calm lake. A steady mountain. Cats. Freshly baked cookies._ Shirayuki quietly took a deep breath and exhaled. Her pulse managed to slow a little and she felt the trembling subside. A smile settled behind her mask and she lifted her head. _I'm okay._

"Good morning, Yuki-chan."

"Hey, Yuki-chan! What book is that?"

"Morning, Yuki-chan!"

She jolted, having not realized how close they had gotten. Turning her head, Shirayuki's face started to turn pink behind her mask and she held up her hands. "…I-I'm sorry…about yesterday…I don't blame you if you hate me…!" she blurted out, tears forming in her eyes.

Ashido, Kaminari, and Kirishima shared a brief look. "Uh, what? Why would we _hate_ you?" the pink-haired girl asked.

"…I was…two hours late…and we missed our movie…we had to go to a later one and…it wasn't the one we had planned on seeing…and you probably wanted to eat somewhere else and…I-I'm so sorry that I was late…!" Shirayuki closed her eyes, not wanting to see their expressions. When she felt a hand on her shoulder, she jumped a little and was forced to look.

"Hey, don't worry about it! That other movie was pretty good," Kirishima assured her. "Besides, we get that something came up. We were just worried when you were late, but at least you told us."

"So what was it anyway?" Kaminari tilted his head.

At that same moment, a certain someone entered the classroom and sent a glare their way. No greeting was offered. Just a short bark at Kaminari to get away from his desk. Once Bakugou was seated, Shirayuki bowed her head a little more. "…ah…I had…some chores for my grandmother…" she lied.

Ashido smiled. "It's okay. Seriously, we wouldn't stop being friends just because you were late to one movie. So, moving on! Who was that guy you came to school with this morning? He's in class 1-C, right?"

"What? Yuki-chan came to school with a guy?"

"Boyfriend?"

"…I don't…have a boyfriend…he's just a friend…that I went to middle school with…" she muttered, looking away. She could still feel Kirishima's and Kaminari's stares and was a little disappointed by how surprised they both were. Given, she hardly interacted with anyone. It still felt a little bad to see them so surprised.

The blond frowned. "Seriously? You're pretty cute."

"Yeah. And you're really polite and you're pretty smart. _I'd_ date you." When the other two looked at him, Kirishima's face took on a slightly pink tint. "What?"

"So ask her out then, dude."

"That's kind of a big decision! And I don't even know if I'm her type! Yuki-chan, you kinda seem like you'd be into smart guys, right?"

She was now blushing profusely behind her mask. "…I-I don't…know…I've never dated anyone before…so…"

Kirishima looked to his hand, still planted on her shoulder. "Oh! Sorry, sorry!" He lifted his hand. "And, I mean, it's not a thing to rush into anyway."

"…right…you're right…Kirishima-kun…" Shirayuki could feel eyes burning a hole in the back of her head and she began to slouch a little in her seat. _We're annoying him. I don't want him to be mad at me. He just helped me with my quirk yesterday._ Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to make eye contact with the others. "…class is starting soon so…I-I'll see you at lunch, right…?"

Ashido beamed. "Of course!"

Once the others were gone, she tried to focus on her book again, but it was difficult. She could still feel Bakugou glaring at her and she was starting to feel anxious. Like she was being watched beneath a microscope. As if every little movement was being monitored, every breath being an annoyance to him. She almost felt claustrophobic.

Even after class started, the girl felt extremely self-conscious. _He's mad. What did I do? I just hope we don't have to pair up with other people again for anything today._ She tried to focus on the lesson, but her attention started to drift from Aizawa and even Bakugou. She started to think about what Kirishima had said.

Scribbling in the margin of her notes, she frowned. _My type? What is my type? I've never really thought about it. I'm not used to talking to boys so I don't even know. How do you figure out what your type is?_ She felt a sudden tug at her hair from behind and tensed. "…I-I'm sorry…did you need something…?"

"You said you didn't like him," Bakugou growled. "Hey! Look at me when I'm talking to you, red eyes!"

She half-turned in her seat, glad that they were currently between classes. "…I…I'm friends with him so…um…"

"He asked you out!"

"…I didn't answer…" Shirayuki bit her lip and fidgeted a little, picking at the skin around her nails. "…I…I'm sorry that I said that I didn't like him yesterday…I honestly don't know…if I like him that way or not…b-because I've never been friends with boys before…um…I don't know what my type is…so…I shouldn't have given you that answer yesterday…"

He grimaced and released the lock of her hair. "You had fun yesterday," he started. "Your type's supposed to be someone you have fun with."

"…oh…I didn't…I didn't know that…"

"Yeah." Bakugou ran a hand through his hair and made a sound of frustration. "Look! You better not tell him "yes"! Got it?! And why are you walking to school with a guy? You know how that looks?"

_I'm so confused right now. _Shirayuki gave him a slow nod, but was still puzzled. Thinking back to the previous day, she had to admit that she did have fun. She had also been extremely nervous and kind of frightened. Especially when he took her into the forest and even more so when he insisted on spending more time with her after that. He had made her late to the movie and made her worry that her friends would hate her.

When it came time for lunch, she walked with her three friends and tried to ignore the glare being cast in her direction from behind. She anxiously toyed with the hair band around her wrist as she stood in line to get food, her stomach growling loudly. _I don't think we have a class with All Might today. I can probably eat lighter. What should I get though?_

"Shirayuki."

"…ah…" She turned and felt a smile pull at her lips behind her mask. "…Shinsou-kun…hello…"

He looked from her to the line and tilted his head. "What are you getting?"

The girl followed his gaze, eyebrows furrowing. "…um…I'm not really sure…" Deciding to push herself to try to talk more, she summoned forth some courage. "…do you…know what you're getting…?"

Shinsou nodded once. "Go sit down. I'll get yours."

She held up her hands, shaking her head. "…n-no…I couldn't ask you to do that…um…I-I'm fine with waiting in line…"

He looked away and rubbed the back of his neck. "I want to do it."

"…y-you're sure…?" She saw him nod. Shirayuki frowned. "…I'll…get some good seats then…" Her chest felt fluttery, her stomach twisting into anxious knots. _He wants to eat lunch together? Is that why he wanted to get my food? _After giving her friends a quick explanation, she found a pair of seats in a good location and sat down. Her eyes were drawn to the line where he was standing and she found herself beginning to blush.

_We walked to school together this morning. We're eating lunch together now. Is Shinsou-kun my type? He's kind of quiet…like me. He kind of keeps to himself. But he's nice to me. He's really nice to animals. Do I like him…?_ The girl bowed her head when he looked over, smiling behind her mask.

When he joined her, he set down a small variety of different things for her to eat and took a seat across the table from her. "I didn't know what you wanted so I tried to guess what you might like," he explained.

"…thank you…I really appreciate it…" She lowered her mask, her cheeks turning red as she saw him staring at her. "…um…?"

"Nothing." Shinsou waited for her to start eating before he began eating as well. His indigo gaze wandered from his meal up to her face occasionally and he frowned to himself. "I don't see your mouth very often," he remarked.

Instantly, her face went red again. "…ah…um…w-well it's not…really something I like to show so…"

"You don't look bad, Shirayuki." A sheepish sort of half-smile pulled at his lips as he leaned back in his seat. "I kind of like it though. It's like a secret that you're sharing with me."

She caught a very faint hint of color rise to his face and she tilted her head. "…Shinsou-kun…what's your type…?"

"What? What do you mean?" His face returned to a neutral expression.

"…my friends…asked what my type was…what kind of boys I like…a-and I don't really know how to tell…I-I've never had friends before…or talked to boys so much so…I don't know how to tell…"

Shinsou's eyes half-closed as he looked down to his food. "You know the term "butterflies in your stomach"?" He saw her shrug. "Okay, it's like…you get this fluttery feeling around them. People say that when you like someone, that's something that you feel." His gaze lifted to settle on her face again. "So do you feel like that around anyone?"


	9. Chapter 9

NeonHorizon: Hey. If you ever want to geek out about the anime or manga...feel free to PM me. I don't really have friends that are into this fandom. Also! If anyone can recommend a good webcomic to read (not manga) please let me know! Thanks, everyone!

* * *

_She's getting popular._ Shinsou waited patiently near the exit, watching Shirayuki finish up at her locker. Three of her classmates were with her, apparently discussing something. He saw the redhead grin and rub the back of his neck as he spoke to her, making him raise an eyebrow. A faint, pinkish hue rose to Shirayuki's face as she seemed to be replying to him.

Lowering his gaze, he thought back to lunch time. After he had asked her if she liked anyone, she was immediately interrupted by her blond friend. He had sat with them at their table, completely throwing off the conversation. It was a little frustrating. They were finally friends, finally getting close, but she had other friends that were kind of demanding.

When he looked toward her again, he saw that she seemed to be done. She bowed, politely saying farewell to her friends, and split from their group. Her eyes met his and she seemed to smile behind her mask, lifting a hand in greeting. He gave her a nod just before his eyes fell upon a boy that was walking behind her. _Wow. He looks mad. What's his problem?_

As he watched, the boy suddenly came up beside Shirayuki and grabbed her hand. The girl jumped, startled by the action, and tried to pull her hand free. The boy started to say something to her and Shinsou's eyes narrowed. He took swift, deliberate steps toward them and soon had an arm wrapped around Shirayuki's shoulders from behind, pulling her back. "Did you need her for something?"

The boy scowled and released her hand. "Whatever! I don't even care!"

Shinsou kept his hold on her until the boy was out of sight and then slowly loosened his arm from around her. "Are you okay?"

She turned toward him, her crimson eyes shining with panicked tears. "…I…made him mad…I-I don't even know…"

"Is he in your class?" He saw her nod. "If he gives you trouble again, tell me. I'll take care of it."

"…ngh…" Shirayuki wiped at her eyes with her sleeve, blushing with embarrassment. All around them, students were staring. "…I-I'm sorry…"

He knew what he had to do. She was becoming nervous and was picking at the skin around her nails. "Let's go home. Here." Shinsou held out his hand and felt his pulse speed up a little when she took it. _What would have happened if I wasn't watching? Is she getting bullied again?_

**Shift P.O.V**

"…th-thank you…for walking me home, Shinsou-kun…" She bowed, hoping to wordlessly express her gratitude for everything else. _Bakugou-kun was so angry. He usually makes me nervous, but that thing after school…was actually scary._

Shinsou nodded. "Are you going to be okay at school tomorrow?"

"…I…I should be fine…" Shirayuki attempted a smile behind her mask, but she knew that it was weak. She prepared to open the door and jumped when it was opened by her grandmother. "…ah…Grandma…um…"

"Oh! Oh my! Did Shinsou-kun walk you home as well?" The old woman beamed and reached out to ruffle Shirayuki's long, dark violet hair. "I see! Well, do you have dinner plans, Shinsou-kun? I'd like to thank you for taking such good care of Ume. You know how shy she can be."

"…Grandma…please…" To her surprise, he gave a short nod. "…it's…it's okay if you don't want to…I'm sure you…probably want to go home…"

"I can stay for dinner. As long as I'm not imposing," he stated.

"Of course not! You know, I don't think that Ume has ever had a friend over for dinner before! I wish I'd bought some cake for dessert now. Ume, would you want to run to the store after dinner and pick some up?"

"…a-alright…" Shirayuki led him into the house and gave him an apologetic look. He simply shrugged in response. While she went to change clothes, she hesitated to set her mask aside. _He isn't freaked out by my mouth though. And…didn't Grandma say that we must be close since I wasn't wearing it in front of him last time? Shinsou-kun said that he…doesn't think I look bad._

Going to the kitchen with a blush on her cheeks, she found him setting the table. "…ah…y-you don't have to do that…!"

"It's fine. I don't mind helping." Shinsou looked down at the mint green checkered dress she was wearing and half-smiled. Turning away, he quietly said, "That's a nice color."

Her blush intensified and she covered her face with her hands. "…m-my Grandma bought it…um…it's…kind of embarrassing…I haven't worn it in front of anyone outside so…I-I can change though…"

"Ume, can you help me bring out the food?" her grandmother called. When the girl walked over, the old woman smiled sweetly. "He's a good boy, isn't he?"

Dinner was eaten mostly in peace, with her grandmother asking Shinsou a few questions about the general studies department. Shirayuki was listening, but her mind was wandering back to what he had said before, about knowing you liked someone. _A fluttery feeling? Like what I get sometimes…_

"…I'm sorry about my grandmother…she's…excited that I'm making friends…" She had secured a matching mint green mask over the lower half of her face for the walk to the store and hoped that he could hear her apology through the fabric.

"She's nice." He rubbed the back of his neck and frowned. "Shirayuki. You're really not afraid of my quirk?"

"…are you afraid of mine…?"

Shinsou shook his head. "You wouldn't use a calorie blast on me."

"…and…you wouldn't use mind control on me…unless you thought it was for the best…" Her voice was very quiet as she said this, her head bowed. She still remembered suddenly finding herself eating with him that one night as well as finding his phone number suddenly in her phone. _That one was…strange…_

"Sorry."

"…n-no…it's…not a problem, really…" she muttered. Shirayuki lifted her head, making herself meet his gaze. Warmth rushed to her cheeks and she felt a fluttery sensation in her chest. Putting a hand over her heart, she frowned in puzzlement. "…fluttery…?"

He looked away, trying to hide the faint hint of pink rising to his face. "What's fluttery?"

"…my chest…my heart…?" The girl bit her lower lip as she tried to sort through what exactly this feeling was. She felt self-conscious suddenly and bowed her head again, letting her hair fall around her face. "…sorry…um…wh-what kind of cake do you like, Shinsou-kun…?"

They picked out three slices of cake; strawberry shortcake, chocolate layer cake, and a fluffy angel food slice with a peach-flavored sauce. On their way back, Shirayuki briefly caught sight of a particular classmate leaving the convenience store and moved closer to Shinsou. "…s-sorry…"

He saw the boy as well and raised an eyebrow. "Him again?"

"…he gets angry when I talk to Kirishima-kun…and he sits behind me in class…and he always wants to partner with me…when we have to pair up…"

"It kind of sounds like he likes you."

"…wh-what…?!"

"Here." Shinsou took her hand and started walking, not even bothering to glance again in Bakugou's direction. "Your grandmother's waiting. We should hurry back."

"…r-right…" She felt her pulse speeding up the second that his hand made contact with hers. His palm felt warm against hers, but pleasantly so. Drawing closer to him, she kept her eyes focused on the street ahead of them. _I can't be afraid of Bakugou-kun! We're in the same class! If I'm afraid of someone like him, how can I ever hope to call myself a hero?!_

The next morning, Shirayuki got ready for school with a feeling of nervousness. The thought of facing Bakugou again, after he had gotten so angry with her after school, was anxiety-inducing. She knew that she had no choice though. She had to face it head on. Opening her bedroom door, she found her grandmother waiting with a small bundle. "…Grandma…?"

"Shinsou-kun is waiting for you by the gate. I packed some goodies for you both to eat on the way to school so be sure to share. Do you have training today, Ume?" She saw her granddaughter give a small nod. "Alright. Be sure to eat plenty at lunch! Do you have snacks in your bag?" Another nod. "Tell Shinsou-kun that I said "hello"!"

Shirayuki walked outside and approached her friend. The indigo-haired boy was standing patiently near the gate, as her grandmother had said, checking something on his phone. When he heard her approaching footsteps, he looked up and nodded. She reached to her mask with a trembling hand and tugged it down enough to offer a smile. "…good morning…"

"Hey." A half-smile formed on his face and he watched her replace her mask. "Butterflies today?" She nodded and held up the wrapped bundle. "What's that?"

"…Grandma…made some breakfast…" She pushed a lock of dark hair behind her ear, looking away. "…I-I guess she…worried that you hadn't eaten…"

They shared the treats that she had packed, walking side by side down the street. When they boarded the train to get to school, Shinsou reached in his bag and drew out a wrapped sweet bun. "You probably have training today, right?"

"…th-thank you…" She accepted it and frowned. Shirayuki knew that he had wanted to be in the hero course. From what she heard about the entrance exam, it would have been really difficult for him to showcase his quirk and get a high score. It made her feel guilty about talking about her training.

He was silent for the rest of the train ride and only spoke again when they were close to the school. "Shirayuki. I'm going to get into the hero course."

"…Shinsou-kun…?"

"The sports festival isn't far away. I'm going to do whatever I can to try to get transferred into your class."

Again, she felt that odd fluttery sensation in her chest. "…y-you would…be in my class…?" She saw him nod. "…I…I'd like that…I'd like that a lot…" Her lips curled into a smile and she bowed her head to try to hide her excitement.

He was about to say something else when he was interrupted by Kaminari calling her nickname and waving. Shooting the blond a brief glance, Shinsou seemed to decide against what he planned to say. He turned his attention back to her and put a hand on her shoulder. "If anyone bullies you, tell me and I'll take care of them. Remember that."

"…a-alright…" Shirayuki watched him walk away and frowned to herself. _Shinsou-kun…in my class. I hope he can do it. No. That's not right. I know he can!_


	10. Chapter 10

NeonHorizon: I have a lot of fun writing this story :)

* * *

"This book was really good, Shirayuki. Um…do you have any more that you'd recommend?"

She had been staring down at her own book, but jumped a little when Midoriya appeared beside her desk. "…oh…um…y-yes, just a moment…" Shirayuki reached into her bag and withdrew a book of Egyptian mythology. "…this one…is a little different, but it's pretty interesting…"

"Thanks. Where do you get these from anyway? I don't think I've seen most of these in book stores."

"…ah…m-my grandmother…orders them online for me…" She started to tell him about one particularly interesting website when she saw Bakugou enter the classroom. He gave Midoriya a short glare before taking his seat and Shirayuki slouched down in her chair a little. "…r-right so…if you want…um…I-I could bring a few books tomorrow…if you want…"

"That would be great. Thanks, Shirayuki."

When he was gone, she felt a kick against one of the legs of her chair and flinched. "…d-did you need something…Bakugou-kun…?"

"What're you reading?"

To her surprise, she suddenly saw his face to the right of hers as he leaned forward to look over her shoulder. Cheeks flushing pink, she bowed her head. "…it's…just a book of folklore…stories and…things like that…" she mumbled. A hand gripped her left shoulder as he looked down at the pages and she closed her eyes. _Why is he so close? My heart…is beating really fast. It kind of hurts._

His lips twisted into a scowl for a moment and then he leaned back in his seat again. "Give me a book."

"…wh-what…?" Shirayuki turned in her seat to look at him and saw him frowning. "…you…want to read one of my books…?"

Bakugou held out a hand. "Yeah. Give me your favorite one."

"…er…o-okay…just a moment…" The girl rummaged through her bag, hoping that he really would read it and not destroy it right in front of her. Bullies had done that in the past; pretended to be interested and then tear the pages out of a book to make her upset. Finding it, she lifted the book with trembling hands. "…it's…Greek mythology…s-so I hope that's okay…um…"

He took it from her and immediately flipped through it. "Whatever. I'll give it back when I'm done with it."

Still really confused, Shirayuki turned to face the front of the classroom. She could hear the pages flipping, but slower, and she realized that he really was reading it. _Why though?_ She greeted her friends when they came over to say good morning and this time, the boy behind her paid them no mind.

Classes actually passed without any sort of incident. They had to partner up at one point, but Kirishima came over to grab her before Bakugou could claim her this time. She was grateful, but at the same time she felt bad for Sero, who ended up being paired with Bakugou.

"Man, he's really pissed off," Kaminari commented, looking toward their grumpy classmate. He was currently glaring in their direction.

"Well we couldn't let him keep hogging Yuki-chan all to himself," Ashido stated. "I mean, look at how scared she gets around him! He needs to dial it back a notch or he'll make her start to hate him."

"…I…don't think I could hate anyone…" Shirayuki argued.

Kaminari rolled his eyes. "You're too nice sometimes."

"So I saw you walking to school with that boy from 1-C again. Are you sure you guys aren't more than friends? You look pretty cute together." The pink-haired girl grinned when she saw Shirayuki blush. "What? It's true."

_He did stick up for me yesterday when Bakugou found me after school. And he's a really good friend. And…I get that fluttery feeling around him._ Shirayuki fidgeted with the hairband around her wrist, smiling behind her mask.

"Looks like you missed your chance, Kirishima."

"What?! Seriously? Wait, so are you guys dating?"

"…n-no…we're still just friends…" Though she was starting to wonder if she should ask Shinsou if he felt that fluttery sensation around her as well.

At lunch, Shirayuki got her food first and agreed to find a table for their group of four to sit at. She had just settled in when a tray was set down across from her and the chair was forcefully pulled out. Her crimson eyes widened as they met a pair of narrowed eyes the same color. _What…is he doing…?_

"What was that about in class? Why did you avoid me?" Bakugou demanded.

"…I…wanted to work with my friends…"

He scowled and looked down at his meal. "Whatever. It's not like I really care. I'm not moving so those nerds can find another place to sit. Eat your damn food." With that, he began eating in the angriest way she had ever seen anyone eat.

She glanced up and caught Ashido and Kaminari giving her curious looks. Her shoulders lifted in a subtle shrug. Then the chair beside hers was pulled out and occupied by their red-haired classmate. "…K-Kirishima-kun…?"

"Hey, Yuki-chan. Mind if I sit here?" He grinned when she shook her head. "Oh, wow. That all looks really good. You've got to stock up on calories for the training today, right? Is that going to be enough?"

"…should be…um…my friend…gave me something for if my blood sugar drops too low…so I should be alright…"

"Your friend's a pretty good guy, isn't he?"

"Shut up! We're trying to eat here!" Bakugou snapped.

Kirishima blinked and rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry. My bad." He looked over at Shirayuki and saw the girl slouching. Her head was bowed, her shoulders shaking a little. "Hey. You okay, Yuki-chan? You want to go somewhere else? I can help you carry your stuff," he said in a quieter tone.

"…I…I'm fine…a hero should be braver than this…"

"What? No way! Don't think like that; you're just a little shy! You can totally be a hero, Yuki-chan. You're awesome." He saw her face turning red and tilted his head, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Hey. Yuki-chan?"

"…you're…e-embarrassing me…" she stammered.

"Oh! I'm sorry!" He lifted his hand, but could not help smiling. "You know, that bashfulness is really cute."

She lowered her mask and began to eat, but she could feel the boy across from her glaring. Thinking back to what Shinsou had said the day before, about him probably liking her, she had her doubts. _Do you usually glare at someone that you like? I haven't really talked to boys much, but that doesn't seem right._

Shirayuki's anxiety spiked when she was told to pair up for hero training. Partially because she had to worry about burning through all of her calories for the day and partially because she was immediately grabbed by a particular ash blond. _Why? This is twice now._ She looked to her friends, hoping that they would accept her silent apology. Instead, they looked rather concerned. _That's…not good._

"Shirayuki, do you want to pair up with me?" Midoriya called, walking over to her. He glanced at Bakugou, who was busy studying the course they would be navigating through. The objective was to face off against another pair of students and try to capture them, while also defending a point in the course.

"…I…um…I'd like to, but…"

"She's taken, Deku. Move on." Bakugou was glowering at him now, moving to stand a little too close to Shirayuki for her own comfort.

"…I-I'm sorry, Midoriya-kun…" Shirayuki bowed slightly in apology. Taking a few deep breaths, she tried to steady her nerves. _A hero can work with anyone, right? I need to be able to do this._

She was feeling a little bit self-conscious this time. Last time they had worn their gym outfits, but now they were wearing their hero costumes. Hers consisted of a tight-fitting dark violet bodysuit with black armor over the chest, forearms, and lower legs. The armor was weighted, as were her black boots, to help steady her when she used an energy blast. Though she hoped that her training in the forest would be help her lighten the weights in time. There was a lavender belt secured around her waist with a pouch near the back of her right hip, meant to hold provisions in case her blood sugar dropped too low.

The girl drew her hair back into a loose ponytail and anxiously fidgeted at the tight-fitting black mask that was part of her costume. It hid her nose and mouth, while remaining more secure than her usual medical masks. "…who…are we facing…?" she inquired, turning to Bakugou.

"We're up against that nerd Deku and that floaty girl. So we're gonna need a lot of fire power to take them down fast, got it? Don't hesitate or feel bad about hitting them. You ate a ton, right? So you could probably blast her off her feet with a huge calorie blast! Leave Deku to me!"

She looked toward Midoriya, who still seemed slightly concerned about the pair, but appeared to cheer up a little when Uraraka started asking about their plan. _Midoriya-kun is great at analyzing people's techniques and quirks so…he'll be a strong opponent. Especially because he's so smart. And Uraraka-chan is really good, too. Her quirk is kind of scary and she's pretty good at using it._

Curling a hand into a fist, she turned back to Bakugou and nodded. "…a-alright…I'm going to do my best…Bakugou-kun…"

"Do better than that!" Grabbing her shoulders, he smirked down at her. "Listen up! If you take her down, I'll buy you ice cream after school! Got it?! I can handle Deku so you just worry about her!"

"…ice cream…?" Shirayuki blinked, confused. It was probably the kindest thing she had ever heard him say to anyone; offering to buy them ice cream. "…you'll…get me…ice cream…?" she asked, frowning behind her mask.

"We're _both_ gonna get ice cream, red eyes! I'm not gonna sit there and just watch you eat!" A pinkish hue was creeping onto his face and he scowled. Gritting his teeth, he leaned down a little. "Just shut up and do this!"

"Young Bakugou! Shirayuki! Is everything alright over there?" All Might called, having noticed the odd interaction.

"…e-everything's fine…" the girl quietly replied.

"We're fine!"

_Is this really okay?_ Shirayuki relaxed a little when he released her shoulders and leaned back. As she saw the pink in his face gradually fade, realization hit her and she started to blush red. _Did he…just ask me out after school…or am I misunderstanding...?_

The blond grabbed her hand to pull her off to the side as they waited for their turn in the course. Staring straight ahead, he muttered, "We'd better win."


	11. Chapter 11

_I don't want to hurt Uraraka-chan. She's always so nice to everyone._ Shirayuki was on high alert, keeping herself aware of any approaching sounds. She had been sent to find the other girl, but tried to stay close to their point at the same time. _Uraraka-chan can make other things float, but she gets sick if she floats herself. I just have to move faster than her!_

Losing was not an option. She did not want to see how Bakugou would react if she was captured first. The girl glanced over her shoulder at the point she was defending, briefly wondering if Bakugou had ventured far. It was at that moment that she felt eyes on her. She twisted quickly, crimson eyes meeting the brown ones of her opponent.

Shirayuki acted swiftly. Her left leg went behind her, right leg planting firmly in front. She squared her shoulders and sent a blast directly at the center of the other girl's chest, sending her flying backwards off her feet. Uraraka slammed into a wall and moved to make a few objects around her float to try to act as a shield as she steadied herself.

The dark-haired girl put her left hand behind her and blasted herself off the ground, sending her flying after Uraraka. She dodged an object being hurled at her and slammed a boot into the girl's stomach. Tears of guilt ran down her cheeks as she looked down at the girl. "…sorry…"

"You haven't won yet! I'm still in this!" Uraraka sent her hurtling backwards, giving her enough time to stand and steady herself.

Shirayuki used an energy blast to keep from falling onto her back and sprinted at the other girl once more. She lowered a hand and sent a blast into Uraraka's stomach, the force making her airborne. The dark-haired girl leapt up, aided by smaller blasts, and sent one large burst of energy into her opponent's back. Uraraka plummeted to the ground and Shirayuki landed beside her.

Pinning her opponent's arms behind her back, she successfully captured her. _I can't believe it! I actually did it!_ She saw Uraraka offer a weak smile and she felt fresh tears run down her face. "…I-I'm sorry…are you okay…?"

"Don't worry! My costume absorbed most of the impact, Yuki!" She let Shirayuki bring her to the point she was defending and sat down. "You're really strong. I'll win next time though!"

"…you're…not mad at me…?"

"We're just doing what we're supposed to for class," she replied.

Looking down, Shirayuki frowned behind her mask. _She called me "Yuki". Does she…want to be friends? Or does she think that's my name?_

Further in the course, she could hear shouting and explosions. "…it…sounds like Bakugou-kun found him…"

"You think Deku is okay?"

"…hopefully…" She ventured forward with caution when the sounds died down a little. The girl reached a corner, intending to go a little further, but the fight found her. A body came from around the corner, a knee connecting hard with her cheek. The tip of a shoe struck her chest and Shirayuki was sent sprawling onto her back on the ground.

Pain ignited in the side of her face, her chest, and her back. She managed to roll to the side to avoid being further injured, but saw that her partner was having difficult taking down their other opponent. As much as she wanted to help, it only took one look at Bakugou to tell her that it would be a bad idea. He wanted to capture Midoriya on his own.

She moved to defend their point and captive, but listened as Bakugou shouted at his opponent. The earlier blasts had taken quite a few calories. Particularly the large one that had helped her capture Uraraka. As mad as her partner would be, she knew what a real hero would do in this situation. A real hero would not leave their partner to fight alone. A real hero would help.

Shirayuki felt heat gathering along her arm, the energy humming as it raced through her limb. Planting her legs firmly, she aimed with care and sent a huge blast of energy directly into Midoriya's side. He was knocked aside, slamming into a wall and falling to the ground.

Bakugou scowled at her and went to pursue him as the girl sank to her knees. She trembled and wrapped her arms around herself, trying to keep calm. _Low…it's so low. I'm not sure if I can stand up._ Shirayuki bowed her head, gritting her teeth against the tremors and trying to keep herself stable enough to make it through the exercise. If she fainted now and Midoriya was still able to fight, he could try to capture them both.

**Shift P.O.V**

_Damn it! What the hell was she thinking?!_ He kicked at the green-haired boy, but he was unconscious. A look over his shoulder showed that the girl was curled up on her side on the ground. The brown-haired girl was hovering near her, trying to make her wake up.

Their pair had won, but it did not feel like a win. Standing out in the hallway, he waited on Recovery Girl to finish checking Shirayuki. _She'd better be okay. Damn it. I told her to leave that nerd to me!_

The door slid open and she stepped out into the hallway. There was a bandage over her left cheek, from where Midoriya's knee had hit her. She still looked really weak and when her eyes met his, he saw that she looked like she was on the verge of tears. "…I'm sorry…Bakugou-kun…I didn't…"

"Shut up! We still won!" He grabbed her by the front of her costume, dragging her closer so her face was inches from his. "Listen up, red eyes! Next time I tell you not to do something, you'd better listen!"

"…a-alright…" Her face was taking on a pinkish shade and her eyes were looking away from him now.

Bakugou smirked and released her. "Go change. We've got a date."

"…wh-what…?" The girl's eyes widened and she stepped back.

"Hurry up! I'm not gonna wait around all day! Meet me outside." He saw her hurry off down the corridor and felt satisfaction from seeing the blush on her face. The previous day, he had realized why he felt so irritated when he saw Shirayuki hanging out with her friends. He liked her. So, of course, he had to stake his claim before anyone else could try. Especially their red-haired classmate.

**Shift P.O.V**

_He called it a date…_She finished changing and began the walk out of the school. _A date? Like…friends? Or is it something more than that? _Shirayuki pressed a hand to her throbbing cheek, frowning behind her butterfly-printed mask. _Midoriya-kun…hit me really hard._

"Shirayuki."

Lifting her eyes, she saw Shinsou and began to blush. "…oh…um…Shinsou-kun…I'm sorry…I can't walk home with you today…I-I'm really sorry…!"

He tilted his head and leaned down, peering at her face. "What happened to your face? You have a bandage under your mask."

Her heart was beating really fast as she bowed her head again. "…t-training accident…I…um…I took a knee…to the face…"

Shinsou reached over, his fingertips dipping beneath the edge of her mask and gently pulling it down. The bandage covered her cheek from the jaw up to just beneath her left eye. "That's a big bruise. So what are you doing now? You said that you can't walk with me."

The girl's face went bright red and she bowed her head, anxiously toying with the hairband around her wrist. "…um…I-I got…asked to go somewhere…with a classmate so…um…I-I'll see you tomorrow…o-okay…?"

"Are you alright?"

"…I-I'm fine…I'm sorry…I just…I have to go…" She fixed her mask and continued on her way, afraid of how Bakugou would react if she made him wait for long. There was an anxious fluttering in her stomach when she remembered how he had called their activity a date. _What did he mean by that? Did he mean it in __**that**__ way or…could he have meant something else?_

Getting ice cream was not a big deal. Given, he did glare at her the entire time they were in the shop. Once they had their ice cream, they went to a park where Shirayuki could eat without too many people being around. She still kept her head bowed as she tried to enjoy her treat, wary of anyone passing by.

"Hey, red eyes. What flavor was that?"

The girl shyly looked up from her food and frowned. "…um…it's…caramel vanilla swirl…" she replied.

Bakugou looked to his own chocolate cone and scowled. "Give me a taste." When she hesitated, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her cone close so he could taste it. He smirked and licked his lips when he saw the blood rush to her face. "Taste mine." He pushed his cone in front of her face, eyes narrowing when she hesitated again.

She reluctantly took a small taste of the chocolate ice cream, her pulse racing and stomach doing nervous flips. _He…ate my ice cream…after I licked it. And I had his._ Bowing her head again, she felt her face contort in confusion. "…th-that was…an indirect…k-kiss…" she mumbled, more to herself than to him.

"So what? Are you really gonna make a big deal out of an indirect kiss? Damn nerd." He saw that her face was still red and smirked. Grabbing her shoulder, he pulled her forward sharply and covered her lips with his. He felt her tense up and when he pulled away, he grinned wolfishly. "There! I gave you something to blush about, red eyes!"

"…k…kiss…?!" Shirayuki put a hand over her mouth, leaning back. A fluttery sensation settled into her chest and stomach as she looked from him down to her ice cream. _A kiss?! He kissed me? That…was my first kiss! What just…? Did he really do that? Did that really just happen?_

"Tch. What do you look so shocked for? It's a date! People do stuff like that on dates," he growled. "Come on! Quit looking so scared! I know you like me!"

_Like…him?_ Her eyes widened a little and got up from the bench. "…I…I have to go…home so…um…th-thank you for the ice cream…and…um…" The girl's wrist was caught by his hand again and he tugged her back down. "…B-Bakugou-kun…I…I really need to go home…my grandmother will worry and…um…"

"We're not done here!"

Shirayuki trembled from anxiety, but tried to focus her attention on her ice cream instead. _Why did that…make my heart beat so fast? And he said that I like him…?_ Summoning forth some courage, she turned to him. "…do you…like me…?"

His face turned red and he scowled. "Shut up! You really have to ask that?!"


	12. Chapter 12

NeonHorizon: I know that some people got worried after the last chapter and...I really wanted to write this chapter because it's sweet. Not to mention, I'm really enjoying writing about character's dealing with getting crushes. Hope you like it.

* * *

"I'm sorry, Shinsou-kun. Ume is staying home sick today."

_Sick?_ He frowned a little and nodded. "Is it serious?"

The old woman glanced over her shoulder and stepped outside, closing the door behind her. "Since you're so close with her, I think I can trust you. To be honest, I think that something might've happened yesterday at school. Ume came home last night with a bruise on her face and she locked herself in her room. She's hardly spoken since then…"

Shinsou looked down, concerned. "I see."

"Did she say anything to you?"

"Not really. I knew about the bruise, but she seemed okay." He lifted his gaze, looking to the door behind her. _Something upset her after we talked yesterday. She said that she had to go somewhere so she couldn't walk home with me. Whatever it was, it must have been bad._

The old woman sighed and shook her head. "I'm sorry to bother you like this. I was just hoping…well, it's alright. I'm sure she'll get to feeling better soon."

The boy met her gaze and saw that she was very worried. "Shirayuki-san, can you call the school and pretend to be my grandmother? I need you to call me in sick, too."

Once she had agreed, he set off back for home. He changed out of his uniform and then went to collect some supplies. He picked up a few movies from a rental place, some snacks and drinks from a convenience store, and finally a few cake slices from a bakery.

When he returned to the Shirayuki house, her grandmother greeted him with a big smile. "I'm just glad that Ume has such a nice friend. I really just don't know what to do. It's been a while since she's closed herself off like this."

"She's done this before?" He set his bags down on the table in the kitchen and lingered nearby as she poured some tea.

Her brow furrowed and she nodded once. "When she came to live with me, she hardly spoke. Ume was afraid to do anything. I think that her mother might have something to do with it. My son died when Ume was seven and until then, she had been a little more polite than most kids, but she was still cheerful. Something happened during those two years before she moved here. I just know that…I'm glad her mother works overseas."

_That explains a few things._ He went to her door and gave it a quiet knock. No answer came. "Shirayuki. It's me."

"…Shinsou-kun…I'm not…going to school today…s-so just…go without me…"

He heard a certain crack in her voice and he knew that she was trying not to cry. "I'm not going, either."

**Shift P.O.V**

"…I'm…not coming out of my room…I-I'm sorry…" Shirayuki burrowed beneath her blanket again, holding back tears. _I couldn't go to school today and I can't face Shinsou-kun. Not after what happened yesterday. It…was so embarrassing. My first kiss. I don't know how to feel. I'm…scared. A first kiss shouldn't make you feel scared._ She closed her eyes, hugging her pillow.

There was a sliding sound and then a thud, indicating that he was now sitting in front of her door in the hallway. "Well, I'm not leaving. I'm going to be waiting for you."

_Why? Why are you…so nice to me? Why does my chest feel fluttery?_ She chewed at her lower lip, curling herself into a tight ball beneath the blanket. Thinking about him skipping school, just because she was staying home, made her stomach start to twist with guilt. At the same time, it made her blush faintly.

Shirayuki finally emerged from her blanket and got dressed. Pulling her dark, messy hair into a loose ponytail, she glanced at her reflection. The whites of her eyes looked red from crying. The girl wiped away the remnants of tears and looked to her door. "…Shinsou-kun…?"

She did not receive an answer. When she opened the door, she saw that he had gone. Her shoulders drooping slightly, she decided to leave her room. She had gone through the trouble of getting dressed and she knew that her grandmother was probably worried. As she stepped into the kitchen, she had to pause and blinked in surprise.

"Oh! Ume, you've left your room! Do you want some tea? I made some nice green tea earlier for Shinsou-kun, but I can make some more!" Her grandmother was currently sitting at the table across from the boy and greeted her with a smile. "Are you feeling a little better?"

The girl rubbed at her eyes with the sleeve of her sweater and nodded once. "…I-I'm sorry…if I worried anyone…"

"Do you want to talk about it?" the old woman asked, her tone kind.

"…I'm…not ready yet…I'm sorry…" More tears formed as her grandmother stood to hug her. _I feel bad, but I can't tell her. She'll be disappointed in me. I should be stronger than this. What kind of hero would be this upset over a kiss? But I feel…bad. I feel confused. I don't know…how to react._

"It's alright! Ume, you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to!" She hugged tighter for a moment and then pulled away, still wearing that warm smile. "Shinsou-kun has a surprise for you in the other room. Why don't you both go there? I'll make some more tea."

Shirayuki glanced to Shinsou and saw him half-smile in response. "…a…surprise…?" She walked to the living room and her eyes widened. The television was set up to play a movie and there was a variety of snacks and drinks set out on the coffee table. The girl looked to him again, her heart beating fast. "…you…did this for me…?"

He averted his eyes and rubbed the back of his neck, clearly a little embarrassed. "I wanted to cheer you up. I don't know what happened and I'm not going to make you tell me, but I didn't want you to be upset." The boy was startled by her suddenly hugging him and gradually put his arms around her to reciprocate. "Do you like your surprise?"

She nodded against his chest, her lips drawing into a wide smile. "…th-thank you…so much…Shinsou-kun…I really appreciate you doing this…" The fluttery sensation from before was now increasing and she felt heat rushing to her cheeks. _No one has ever done something like this for me. And this fluttery feeling…_She drew out of the hug and quickly looked away to hide her blush. _Do I like Shinsou-kun…?_

Sitting together on the couch, he started the movie for them. There was a faint hint of a pinkish tint to his cheeks as he glanced over at her, as if to see if she liked the movie choice. "I didn't know what kind of movies you like so I tried to guess," he admitted.

"…ah…I-I like most genres…I'm not picky…" she assured him. A few minutes into the movie, she glanced over at him again. Shirayuki had only ever seen him in a school uniform before. It was a little strange to see him in casual clothes. She had to admit that he looked good though.

As the movie progressed, he moved a little bit closer to her on the couch. He was cautious, knowing how nervous she could get. She seemed to be okay with it so he lifted his arm and gently put it around her. "Is that comfortable?"

"…y-yes…" Shirayuki moved a little closer so he would not have to stretch his arm and blood rushed to her face. The girl's pulse was still rapid, her stomach doing nervous flips as she became self-conscious. _I should have dressed nicer._

"Here we are! I'm sorry that took so long!" Her grandmother appeared in the doorway and the two teenagers quickly separated. "Oh? I'm sorry."

"…n-no…it's alright, Grandma…thank you for the tea…" She took the mug from her grandmother and sipped nervously.

Shinsou thanked the old woman as well and looked at Shirayuki as he accepted his mug of tea. He raised an eyebrow and saw her flush red. When her grandmother left the room again, he frowned. "Are you okay?"

"…I-I'm just…on edge…" The girl slouched a little and sipped some more tea. _Shinsou-kun is trying so hard to make me feel happy. He even skipped school to try to cheer me up. He's…a good friend. And I feel…that fluttery feeling…when I'm around him. I think…I really might like him._ She set down her mug and took a deep breath, trying to calm herself enough to speak again.

"Shirayuki? Are you sure you're okay?"

"...yesterday…m-my first k-kiss…got taken…and I…I couldn't face him today…and I just…w-wanted to hide from everyone…but you…didn't want me to be sad and you…went through this much trouble…to cheer me up…"

"Your first kiss?" He saw her nod, her face a bright shade of red. "It was forced?" Again, she nodded. Tears sparkled in the corners of her eyes. "Who was it? Was it that boy in your class that keeps bothering you?"

She swallowed the lump that had been forming in her throat and lowered her gaze to her lap. "Shinsou-kun, I don't want you to trouble yourself."

Taken aback by her speaking so directly, so firmly, his eyes widened. The boy frowned deeply and ran a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry. That's…a bad experience. Your first kiss shouldn't be like that."

"…he…said that he likes me…and said he knew that I like him, but…I don't know…how I really feel about him…" The girl bit her lip, hard. These next words would take a lot of courage. Lifting her crimson gaze, she knew she was still blushing. "…Shinsou…" she began, dropping the honorific. "…I…feel butterflies…in my stomach…when I'm with you…and I'm sure…that I like you…"

The faint pink hue in his face grew now and he smiled, looking away. "I'm actually glad to hear that," he admitted. The boy rubbed the back of his neck and nodded. "I like you, Shirayuki."

These words filled her with an unbelievable warmth that seemed to radiate through her entire being. The fluttering sensation made her feel almost giddy and she smiled, bowing her head. "…you…like me…?"

"I like you," he repeated. Leaning over and down a little, he looked up at her through the loose strands of dark hair that fell over her face. Spotting her smile, he seemed satisfied. A hand reached up, gently cupping the girl's injured right cheek. "I'm not going to make you do anything that you don't want to do. So…let's give it some time, okay? We can hang out more and you can decide if you want to be more than friends."

Heart pounding, she nodded. "…a-alright…"


	13. Chapter 13

NeonHorizon: This chapter is just a tiny bit longer than usual. Apparently I was really excited because I wrote one page more than usual and had to cut back a bunch of stuff to make sure that everything worked out. Sorry. Who's ready to see Shirayuki stand up for herself?

* * *

Shinsou stirred awake at the sound of a soft chiming throughout the house. He blinked sleepily, a little confused as he looked around. Feeling a weight against his side, he turned to look down at Shirayuki. The two had apparently dozed off on the couch and there was now a blanket draped over them both.

The chiming came again and again. The boy frowned and carefully maneuvered his friend so she was now leaning against a couch pillow. He hated to leave her by herself, but it seemed like her grandmother was gone. As much as he disliked the idea of answering the door at someone else's house, he knew the visitor was not about to give up and leave.

Opening the door, he saw two students from their school standing near the gate. He approached them with a slightly raised eyebrow. "Do you need something?"

The girl gave him a puzzled look and then glanced down at a scrap of paper in her hand. "This is the Shirayuki household, right?"

Shinsou crossed his arms and leaned against the fence on the other side of the gate. "Yes. This is the Shirayuki house."

The other boy pushed up his glasses and frowned deeply. "Are you her brother? Is Shirayuki home? She missed school today and as the class president, it's my duty to make sure that she's alright!"

"I'm not her brother. And she isn't taking guests right now."

"Iida, it's okay," the girl assured her classmate. Turning from the boy in glasses, the brunette offered a smile. "Can you tell Yuki that we stopped by?"

After seeing Shirayuki in such a deep state of depression and confusion, he was wary of any of her classmates. If one of them was bullying her, chances were good that others might be bullying her as well. However, this girl seemed to be genuinely worried. Finally, he nodded. "Fine. I'll tell her that you were here."

As Shinsou turned to go back into the house, he heard a commotion further down the street. It sounded like her other friends. Thankfully, the two at the gate went to explain everything to them. _She doesn't need that right now._

Locking the door again, he made his way back to the living room. Shirayuki was still asleep. She had fallen onto her side while he was gone and was now holding the pillow against her chest. Locks of dark, tangled violet hair fell across her pale face as she slept.

Sitting in front of the couch, Shinsou carefully reached over to draw the blanket up more so it covered her shoulder. The girl continued to sleep peacefully. He hesitated to do more, but was unable to resist a certain urge. His fingers gently pushed her hair away from her face, his fingertips brushing over her skin lightly.

He bowed his head, lowering his gaze to the floor as he tried to calm the racing of his heart. For the past year or so, he had had a crush on this girl. He was unsure if he would ever tell her, but now that he had expressed his feelings, it felt like a huge weight had been lifted.

Shinsou heard her move in her sleep and lifted his eyes. One hand was poking out from beneath the blanket, her knuckles resting against the couch cushion. He reached toward her, taking her small hand in his and watching her lips curl into a timid smile. As the two sat in silence, he wondered what her answer would be when he asked her that important question.

**Shift P.O.V**

Shirayuki's pulse was so fast that it almost hurt. She knew that holding a boy's hand and walking to school with a boy should not be such a big deal, but the butterflies in her stomach were powerful that day. "…Shinsou…yesterday…w-was such a good day…I wanted to thank you properly so…um…I made you something…"

He glanced over and saw her face flushing red behind her mask. His free hand rubbed the back of his neck and he frowned. "You didn't have to do anything."

"…um…h-here…" Digging in her bag, she drew forth a small box. "…I…didn't know what kind is your favorite so…I-I just made butter cookies…"

Accepting the box, he half-smiled. "You made me cookies?"

"…ah…i-if you don't like sweets that much…I could throw these away and make something else…I just wasn't sure…"

"I want these," he assured her. He popped the lid off and took out a cookie. Shinsou snapped it in half and offered one side to the girl. On their walk to the train station, he had heard her stomach growl. "Do you have plans after school?"

"…n-no…I shouldn't be busy…" Remembering what day of the week it was, her shoulders drooped. "…ah…a-actually, I…need to get groceries tonight…um…"

Shinsou tucked the box into his bag and they continued to the school. "I'll go with you." He saw the relief in her eyes and his half-smile grew a little. "If anyone gives you trouble today, tell me, okay?" She nodded and it seemed to satisfy him.

Shirayuki walked to her classroom with a sinking feeling growing in her stomach. Memories of what had transpired two days before made her hesitate to go into the classroom. _Come on! I want to be a hero! I need to be brave!_

"Shirayuki!" When he saw her flinch, Midoriya jogged the rest of the way down the hallway to her. "I-I'm sorry; I didn't mean to scare you. Um…I wanted to apologize for what happened the other day during training." His eyes fell upon the bandage that was over her left cheek and winced. "I'm sorry, Shirayuki."

"Deku was worried that you were out yesterday because of your injury," Uraraka explained as she joined them. She tilted her head when she saw the dark-haired girl begin to fidget with the hairband on her wrist. "Yuki? Are you okay?"

"…I-I'm fine…um…d-does anyone know if…if Bakugou-kun…is already here…?"

Uraraka and Midoriya exchanged a glance. "Is he bullying you?" the brunette asked. "If he is, you need to tell someone. It isn't right for him to pick on you."

"If he's bullying you, tell me, okay? I'll…I'll stick up for you."

The door abruptly opened and Kirishima beamed. "Hey, it's Yuki-chan!" The redhead's arms went around her midsection in a tight hug, lifting her off of her feet and pressing her back against his chest. "I was so worried about you! Don't disappear like that again!"

The girl's pale face filled with warmth. "…K-Kirishima-kun…!"

"Awww! Look how red she's getting!" Kaminari walked over to join them, grinning cheerfully. "Dude, don't keep her all to yourself."

"Sorry, sorry. There we go." Kirishima carefully set her down on her feet and a faint pink tint rose to his cheeks when he saw her blushing.

Shirayuki jolted a little as Kaminari pulled her into a semi-awkward side-hug and then finally let Ashido hug her. "…s-sorry…about yesterday…"

"It's fine. You weren't feeling well, right? We went to visit your house, but Uraraka and Iida told us that you weren't up to seeing anyone."

Remembering how Shinsou had told her that her classmates had come to the gate, she frowned behind her mask. "…ah…sorry about that…"

"It's fine," Ashido repeated, smiling. "We're just glad you're feeling better."

Shirayuki looked toward her desk and was glad to see that Bakugou was not there yet. She bowed her head and excused herself to sit down. As she settled in, the girl toyed with the hairband on her wrist. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, trying to calm herself. _A still lake. Sunshine. Warm cookies. Kittens._

Stomping could be heard, crossing the room from the classroom doorway. A hand slammed down on her desk, right in front of her. "Hey, red eyes! What the hell is your problem? Why were you avoiding me yesterday?!"

As much as she wanted to be brave, the girl was unable to stop herself from beginning to tremble. "…I wasn't avoiding you…"

"Shirayuki was out sick yesterday, Kaachan. She wasn't avoiding you." Midoriya's voice came from close by as the boy attempted to defend her.

"Shut up, Deku! This doesn't have anything to do with you!" A hand gripped a lock of Shirayuki's hair and pulled roughly. "Hey! Look at me when I'm talking to you, red eyes!"

The girl started to open her eyes and her face instantly went a vibrant shade of pink. Bakugou had leaned down, his face just a few inches away from hers. When he saw her looking, he smirked and tugged at her hair. _What…? Why? Why is he doing this? Isn't it enough that he took my first kiss and…embarrassed me…?_

He snickered. "What're you blushing about, nerd?"

"Kaachan, just leave her alone. She isn't doing anything-"

"She doesn't need you to defend her, Deku. Come on! Say something, red eyes!" He leaned in further, crimson eyes narrowing as his smirk became a little more sinister. "Say something or I'll really give you a reason to blush!"

Her next actions surprised everyone. "Stop it!" Her voice rose from its usual soft tone, escalating to a near shout. Both hands slammed against his chest and she shoved him back with as much strength as she could manage. His balance faltered, one leg got caught on a desk's legs, and Bakugou was sent sprawling onto the floor.

Midoriya stared in utter disbelief and watched as the blond boy pushed himself up onto his elbows. His mouth was twisted into a scowl at being humiliated in front their classmates and the green-haired boy moved to put himself between Bakugou and Shirayuki. "Class is about to start, Kaachan. Just let it go."

"Wow, Yuki-chan. That was pretty intense. You okay?" Kirishima walked over to check on her and when he saw the fury in Bakugou's stare, he frowned.

"Get out of my way! I'm not done with her!" the blond snarled.

"I saw what you did to Yuki-chan. That was really uncool. You don't pull a girl's hair. You know how unmanly that is? Real men don't do stuff like that to get a girl's attention." Kirishima met his glare with a firm look and the two kept their eyes locked until Aizawa appeared to start class.

Slouching in her seat, Shirayuki could swear that she felt the rage emanating from the boy sitting behind her. Fidgeting with her hairband, she bowed her head. _I…raised my voice in front of everyone. And I pushed him. Now he's really mad at me. What is he going to do? I'm…really scared._

Her feeling of gloom was starting to grow. The fact that everyone was so worried about Bakugou bullying her made her feel bad. _Shinsou, Midoriya-kun, and everyone in class. I want to become a hero and all of these people…feel like they need to protect me from my own classmate. It isn't right._

At lunchtime, Shirayuki tried to quickly leave to avoid a confrontation with Bakugou. As soon as she stood, an arm slip around her waist and began dragging her off toward the door. To her surprise, she found her eyes meeting Bakugou's as he stood at his desk. He looked confused for a moment and then angry.

Kaminari and Ashido were already waiting in the hall when Kirishima brought Shirayuki out of the classroom. She looked from them to Kirishima, who was now rubbing the back of his neck and glancing away. "…th-thank you…but I…I need to be able to take care of myself…and stand up to him…"

He grinned. "You're pretty determined, huh?"

"…I know what you said before, but…a hero really does need to stand up to bullies…" she murmured, lowering her gaze. The four began walking down the hallway and she curled her hands into fists. "…if I…can't even handle someone like him…how can I handle standing up to a villain…?"

Kaminari tilted his head. "Is it just me or was he more intense today?"

"Yeah. It was kind of like something was different. Did something happen the other day after the hero training?" Ashido gave Shirayuki a curious look.

Her face went red and she slouched. "…w-well…um…I found out…that he doesn't…didn't…hate me…he probably does now, but…he said…he liked me…"


	14. Chapter 14

NeonHorizon: A very special shout out to animefairy299! She made some incredibly cute fan art of Shirayuki Ume and I can't express enough how much I appreciate that! It really made my day ^_^

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Shirayuki stared curiously down into her bag, her eyebrows raising slightly. It was the end of the day so she was packing away her books, but her attention was grabbed by something odd. Something unfamiliar. Her fingers closed around it and she drew it out of her bag to get a better look.

The wrapping on the chocolate bar was bright red with little golden stars around the label. She tilted her head and slowly put it back. A quick glance to the rest of the classroom showed that no one was looking in her direction. _I didn't put any candy in my bag this morning. Did Shinsou slip it in there while I wasn't looking?_

"Yuki-chan, are you walking home with your friend?" Ashido saw the puzzlement in her eyes and raised an eyebrow. "Yuki-chan? Hey, what's up? Are you feeling okay?"

"…I'm…fine…" She finished packing her bag and stood to walk with her friends. _I can ask Shinsou when I see him again. _Shirayuki kept her eyes lowered as she walked beside Ashido. The girl was afraid to draw any attention to herself in the hallway. She was sure that other classes had probably heard about her pushing Bakugou earlier. Just the thought of being stared at or whispered about made her stomach start to twist in knots.

"Are you busy on Sunday, Yuki-chan?"

The girl snapped out of her thoughts and looked over at Kirishima. "…n-no…I'm not busy…"

"We should do something fun. You like karaoke?" Kaminari saw her whole face turning pink and smiled. "Have you done karaoke before?"

"…ah…I can't…imagine s-singing in front of other people…" she admitted. Bowing her head again, she frowned behind her mask. "…my voice…would be muffled and…hard to understand…I'm sorry…"

"There are other things we can do!" Ashido assured her. Giving her a warm smile, the girl set a careful hand on her shoulder. "We'll think of something fun; don't worry. And it won't be anything you're not comfortable with, alright? If there's something that you can think of, let me know."

"…a-alright…thank you…"

They separated and Shirayuki found Shinsou waiting for her near the entrance. The girl could feel her face starting to heat up as she got close to him and she bit her lip, hidden behind her mask. Walking alongside him, she felt her stomach doing nervous flips. Now that she knew how he felt and told him how she felt, things felt different between them. Closer. She was a little more self-conscious, too.

He seemed to sense her unease and reached over to gently take her hand in his. As their hands made contact, he had to ignore the rapid beating of his own heart and simply gave her a half-smile. "Did you have a good day?"

The boy's smile made her pulse speed up and she bowed her head to try to hide the vibrant blush that crossed her face. "…I…I had a good day…" she replied softly. She summoned forth some courage and tentatively laced her fingers with his, bringing their palms together. "…did you…have a good day, Shinsou…?"

"It wasn't bad." Shinsou moved a little closer when they got near the station, his grip on her hand getting a little tighter.

The train was fairly full at this time of day so he made sure to keep Shirayuki close to him. There were no seats available so they were forced to stand. He could see her getting nervous almost immediately and maneuvered them closer to the doors. Both arms wrapped around her midsection in a protective way, his indigo gaze narrowing upon anyone that looked their way for too long.

"…th-thank you…" Her voice was just above a whisper, her body tense in his embrace. _Why can't I be brave like this morning? I was brave enough to stand up to Bakugou-kun, but I can barely handle riding a full train back home._

"Did that boy from your class give you any trouble?"

Shirayuki felt a lump forming in her throat and closed her eyes. "…I…I pushed him…because he teased me…" The arms tightened around her a little and she lifted a hand, her fingers closing on his right arm for a sense of reassurance. "…Shinsou…I'm fine…I…need to be able to stand up for myself…so…"

"But I don't like it. Things like that shouldn't happen. He wants to become a hero, but he's picking on you like a villain. It isn't fair."

She had not realized just how close he was until he spoke again and she felt his lips gently brush against her right ear. The heat of her blush seemed to be spreading throughout her and settled in the pit of her stomach alongside the usual fluttery sensation. _I can feel his breath on my ear…and on my neck. My heart is beating so fast and…it almost hurts…it feels so loud. What if he can hear it?_

"Shirayuki? Are you okay?"

"…y-yes…I'm fine…" Her eyes opened half-way and she tried to distract herself from her own nervousness. The girl's fingertips very lightly skimmed over her friend's arm, hoping that the movement would be enough to help her calm a bit.

"We're close to our stop. I'll get us out of here quickly; just don't let go of my hand, okay?" Shinsou felt her nod and lingered for a moment before bringing his face away from her ear. "Are you cold? You're shaking…"

"…n-no…I'm fine…" Shirayuki closed her eyes again, trying to hold still when she realized that she was indeed trembling with nervousness.

Grocery shopping was done on the way home and she was very glad that Shinsou had decided to go with her. She was still a little on edge from the train ride so the thought of going into a busy supermarket immediately filled her with dread. The second that they entered, she began to feel overwhelmed and found herself moving close to his side. Thankfully, he understood and reached over for her hand.

When she had everything, they decided to part ways. The girl thanked him, but hesitated before turning to head home. "…um…Shinsou…thank you…for the chocolate bar…that you put in my bag…"

Immediately, his eyes narrowed and he raised an eyebrow. "I didn't do that."

"…you…didn't…?"

"I didn't bring any snacks today." Shinsou glanced down at her bag, head slightly tilted. "Don't eat it if you don't know where it came from."

She nodded and they went their separate ways. Shirayuki frowned behind her mask as she walked toward her house, keeping her head bowed. _If it wasn't Shinsou…who was it? _The girl knew that her friends would have said something if one of them had given her the chocolate. For a brief second, she wondered if it was Bakugou, but that thought was swiftly pushed away. Even if he said that he liked her, he definitely did not seem like the type to do that.

_Maybe…Midoriya-kun did it. Or Uraraka-chan?_ Walking down the sidewalk alone, she felt herself starting to slouch. The bags were heavy, but she had insisted on carrying them herself. She hated asking Shinsou to help her so much; it felt like she might be using him. However, now she started to wish that she had asked him to walk the rest of the way home with her. The bags were heavy and she felt self-conscious. It felt like every person she passed was staring at her.

As she neared her house, she could feel herself beginning to calm down. The thought of going to her room and working on some homework in the company of the cats made her start to smile. Her head was still bowed, eyes on the pavement beneath her feet. When the bags were forcefully yanked out of her hands, she released a sharp cry of alarm and stumbled.

Shirayuki nearly fell into the street, but a bag was dropped onto the sidewalk and a hand darted out to grab her wrist. Wide crimson eyes blinked, watery from surprise, and met a pair of narrowed crimson eyes. "…ngh…"

"What the hell are you doing, red eyes?! What kind of shitty reaction is that?" the blond snarled. Bakugou released her arm when she was steady and picked up the bag again, his eyes shifting away from her. "I came all this way and _that's_ how you react?"

The girl's heart felt like it was sinking down into her stomach. She tried to reach for her bags, but he stepped back and kept them out of reach. "…p-please just…give me those…my grandmother is waiting for me…"

"I'm trying to help you! Just open the damn gate!"

"…why are you…at my house…?" Shirayuki stammered. "…wh-why…did you come here…and why are you…trying to help…?"

Bakugou's gaze briefly met hers again and then darted away once more, a faint hint of pink rising to his face. "Just open the damn gate! These are heavy!"

Needless to say, her grandmother was extremely puzzled to find Shirayuki returning home with this rather irate-looking boy that she claimed was her classmate. Attempting a sweet smile, the old woman accepted the shopping bags from him and started to put the groceries away. "Ume, you have so many friends now! Who's this sweet young man?"

"…th-this is…my classmate Bakugou-kun…um…Bakugou-kun, this is my grandmother…" Shirayuki introduced them, trembling slightly.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. Did you come to see the kittens?"

He was gritting his teeth, as if struggling with the interaction for some reason. "Yeah, Granny. Where are they?"

Slightly taken aback, her smile fell to a curious frown. "I think they're in Ume's room. Ume, do you want to go get them while I make some tea? Young man, if you'd like to wait in the living room-"

"Fine. Whatever." Bakugou left the room, shooting Shirayuki a brief glance.

The grandmother gave her a concerned look and then turned to start the tea. "Ume, just say the word and I'll kick him out, alright?"

"…it's…it's probably okay…" She doubted that he would bully her in front of her own grandmother, but a part of her was uncertain. She was just glad that her grandmother had told him to wait in the living room. The girl gathered the kittens from her room and brought them out to the couch. "…here…um…there are three boys and…one girl…and I'm still t-trying to find homes for them so…if you know anyone…that might want a kitten…"

To her surprise, he lifted the black kitten and set it down on his lap. The small creature stared up at him for a moment before nuzzling its face against his hand. "I didn't know your name was Ume. Who the hell named you that?"

"…my grandmother…but…everyone started calling me "Yuki"…"

Bakugou scowled, keeping his eyes on the kitten. "I'll call you Ume if I want to! Why the hell should I call you their nickname?!" From the corner of his eye, he saw her sit further down the couch from him and his look of displeasure deepened. "Did you eat the chocolate yet? It's gonna melt if you wait."


	15. Chapter 15

The tiny black kitten almost fell over the side of his bed so he quickly picked it up by the scruff and brought it closer. He had not gone to her house with the intent to take one of the kittens, but here he was. Bakugou glared down at the creature as it meowed at him and let it rub its face against his fingers.

He was supposed to give her the chocolate bar the day before, but she had stayed home. Everyone was told that she was out sick, but he knew the truth. She was avoiding him again. He had gone through the trouble of taking her on a date and telling her that he liked her and even kissing her. Shirayuki's response was to avoid him.

Gritting his teeth, he remembered the events from that morning. She had yelled at him and actually shoved him. He knew he was pushing her, but she had gone too far. She embarrassed him in front of the entire class.

The whole point of going to her house after school was to confront her about it, but when he saw her struggling with those grocery bags, he started to feel angry for a whole different reason. _If she's got that guy from that other class walking her home, where the hell was he today?! He should've been helping her! And why the hell did she look so scared when she saw me?_

"Hey! Why do I hear a cat in there? Did you bring a cat home without asking?!" His mother's voice seemed to pierce through the door, making the kitten jump in surprise and nearly fall off the bed again.

"Shut up, you old hag! Someone gave it to me!"

"Who gave you a cat?!"

"Mind your own business!" Bakugou fell onto his back on the bed and the kitten cautiously approached. Its tiny nose tapped against his and then it settled in to curl up at his side. _I took it because I saw that stupid look on her face like she was going to cry. Now I'm stuck with this thing._ He scratched behind its left ear and the kitten purred, stretching out a little. The boy smirked. At least now he had another reason for her to talk to him.

**Shift P.O.V**

"That boy yesterday was kind of rude. Are you sure that he's your friend?" Her grandmother finished packing a snack bag for Shirayuki and gave her a concerned frown. "Ume? Is that boy bullying you?"

"…I'm…actually not sure anymore…" she confessed. It had been a very strange evening. Bakugou watched her eat the chocolate bar that he had apparently shoved into her bag when she was distracted. He stayed for dinner and then when he left, he asked if anyone wanted the kittens. When she said that no one had said anything yet, he told her that he would take the black kitten.

She set off for school with Shinsou, blushing pink when he held her hand. _This…is how it's supposed to feel, isn't it? When you're with someone that you like. They make you feel fluttery, but warm._ Behind her mask, Shirayuki's lips drew into a wide smile and she thought back to how it had felt the previous day on the train. How he had wrapped his arms around her to protect her from the crowd of people.

Being embraced that way had made her feel safe and happy. It was different from anything she had felt before though. This had sent the fluttery feeling in her chest and stomach into overdrive. It made her knees weak to remember how it felt.

"If he bothers you again today, tell me." Shinsou's voice broke the silence as they approached the school. "Okay? He can't think that it's okay to bully you."

She nodded once and bowed a little. "…Shinsou…thank you…for everything…"

He rubbed the back of his neck and half-smiled. "I like you. I'm not going to let someone bother you. I want you to be happy." His hand squeezed hers gently, enjoying the warmth of her fingers laced with his own. The boy's serene indigo gaze slid from her eyes down to the plain red mask that she was wearing over the lower half of her face.

Shirayuki tensed as a finger dipped beneath her mask and pulled it down a little. Her eyes closed tightly and she tried not to lean away from him. "…Shinsou…?"

His fingertips gently trailed along the smooth, soft skin of her cheek. "Is this okay?" The girl nodded ever so slightly, afraid to make his hand leave her face. His smile spread and he leaned down so he was closer. "Can I kiss you on the cheek? Would that be alright? You can say "no" if that would be too much."

Her stomach was doing flips. She subconsciously held her breath and gave him another nod. The warmth of his lips against her cheek sent her heart racing and she gripped her bag tightly in her free hand. More blood rushed to her cheeks, changing them from a soft pink to a vibrant red. "…ngh…"

Shinsou drew away to see her expression. "Was that too much?"

"…n-no…it just…" Her eyes opened halfway and met his. "…it…felt really good…and it made my heart…beat really, really fast…"

The boy wanted to try more. He wanted to know what it would feel like to kiss her lips. Her mouth was a full two inches wider than a normal human mouth, but her lips were shaped in a normal way and the pale pink skin looked so soft. Without really thinking about it, the pad of his thumb traced along her lower lip. Her eyes widened, staring up at him in alarm, and he pulled his hand away. "Sorry."

"…it's…it's okay…it just…surprised me…" Shirayuki pulled her mask up again and averted her gaze. The feeling of his thumb against her lip had filled her stomach with butterflies in a way that she had not experienced before. A more pronounced fluttery feeling alongside a warmth that ran through her. _What…was that feeling? It was different from the way he usually makes me feel. Like it was magnified._

They separated to go to their classrooms, agreeing to walk home together. Shirayuki walked with her head down, trying to avoid looking at the other students as she passed them. When she reached the classroom, she was glad to see that only a few other students had arrived as early as she had.

Sitting at her desk, she got out her things for class and then tried to focus on reading one of her books. Shirayuki found herself reading the same sentence over and over again as her attention was divided. It was a book of folklore that she loved a lot. The stories were really interesting and it was one of her favorite books, but she could not concentrate.

The girl subconsciously lifted a hand to her mask, just over her lips. She was thinking about how it felt when Shinsou kissed her cheek and how it felt when his thumb touched her lower lip. A faint giddiness took over as she smiled behind her mask and bowed her head. _He…kissed my cheek. It was so gentle, but it makes me feel so happy. What would it feel like if he kissed my lips though…? Like a real kiss._

"Hey, Ume! Stop ignoring me!"

She jumped as a hand gripped the back of her chair and jostled it. Looking over her shoulder, her smile dropped. "…what…did you…c-call me just now…?"

Bakugou smirked, leaning toward her. "I called you by your name! Ume!"

Her stomach started to twist in anxious knots, but she decided not to ask about it again. "…did you…need something…?"

"You're coming with me after school, got it? I don't know what the hell that cat needs so you're going to go with me to get stuff. Tell your stupid friend from the other class that he'll have to walk himself home."

"…I…already promised…"

"You're helping me whether you like it or not!" he snapped.

"Um…Shirayuki-san, do you still have kittens?" Midoriya spoke up as he set his bag down at his desk.

"…ah…y-yes…one girl and…two boys…"

He looked from her to Bakugou, having heard everything that the blond had said. He knew that his childhood bully had taken the fourth kitten. "Er…well I asked my mom and she said we can take one if no one else wants them. Could I come over after school and see them?"

"Excuse me. Did you say that you still have some kittens?" Yaoyorozu spoke up. She approached the three other students, looking a little bit shy almost. "If you don't mind, could I see them, too?"

Shirayuki's face was turning red behind her mask, almost blending in with the crimson fabric. "…I…a-alright…that should be fine…um…"

"Hey! I said that you're coming with me to get supplies! Don't try to avoid me again, Ume!" Bakugou reached over, grabbing a lock of hair that hung beside her face. "Tell them you're coming with me."

"…um…Bakugou-kun…I n-need to find homes for the kittens…b-because we have too many cats…so…i-if they're both interested…I need to do what I can…to help the kittens find homes…" The girl was sure that he would snap at her again or pull her hair, but he surprised her.

The blond scowled and released the lock of hair, sitting back in his seat. He crossed his arms, his eyes meeting hers directly. "Fine, but you're gonna make it up to me for avoiding me again."

"…I'm not…avoiding you…" she tried to explain.

"Shut up! You think I don't know when I'm being avoided?!" Settling down a bit, he smirked. "You're gonna make it up to me, got it?"

Shirayuki frowned and lowered her gaze. "…sure…" The girl nervously picked at the skin around her nails, able to feel him still glaring at her. "…how…?"

"You're supposed to surprise me!"

_But why…?_ Thankfully, class started before he could say anything else to make her anxious. _Surprise him? How…? I don't understand what he wants._ She frowned, half of her attention on her notes and half of it on solving the puzzle that Bakugou had presented her with. _What if I don't do anything? But then he'll be mad. Yesterday…before he left…he didn't seem as angry as he usually does. He actually seemed sort of…happy…_

"Hey, I heard that Yaoyorozu and Midoriya want two of the kittens," Ashido commented during lunch. "That's great! So you just need to find homes for the other two, right?"

"…ah…w-well, actually…" Shirayuki toyed with the hairband around her wrist as she glanced down the table to their grumpy classmate. "…Bakugou-kun…took one of the kittens yesterday…"

"What?! Bakugou went to your house yesterday?" Kirishima's eyebrows raised. "Wait a second! How does he know where you live anyway?"

"Which kitten did he take?" The pink-haired girl tilted her head curiously.

"…the black kitten…" Remembering the way that he had handled the tiny cat, she knew that it was probably in a good home. He seemed to like it anyway.


	16. Chapter 16

NeonHorizon: A wild antagonist has appeared!

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Shirayuki had forgotten how daunting the trip to school could be when traveling alone. Her palms were sweating as she gripped her bag, trying to avoid making eye contact with anyone on the train. More than just the fear and anxiety of traveling by herself for the first time in a while, she missed Shinsou.

When he sent her a message early that morning, stating that he was staying home sick, she had offered to have her grandmother call her in sick as well so she could take care of him. He had told her to go ahead to school and assured her that it was nothing serious. She still worried, though.

_He said it's just a cough, but what if he has a cold? I should send him a message after school._ The girl got off of the train at her stop and started to plan what she would do that afternoon. _I'll just go straight home and send him a message to ask how he's feeling. I don't think we need more groceries yet._

She was walking with her head down and thus was not paying much attention to where she was going. Shirayuki slammed into someone's back, her forehead hitting their shoulder blade hard. Wincing at the pain, she stumbled back a step and began to bow. "…I-I'm sorry…I'm so sorry, sir…I wasn't…paying attention to where I was going…!"

The man turned around the second she stepped back and his appearance left her uneasy. Tangled, light blue hair was hanging in his eyes and partially obstructing them, but she could still see the vibrant red color. His eyes were wide, as if he was just as startled as she was, and his mouth was horribly chapped. There was a scar on his lower lip and faded scratches on the man's neck.

They made eye contact for a brief moment before his gaze drifted to her school uniform and became a glare. His expression contorted into a look of outrage and he started clawing at his neck, right in front of her. Before he could say anything to her, a female hand planted on his shoulder and the man turned to look at his companion.

"No worries, kid. Hm? Oh…wow. You're a student at UA, huh?" A young woman peeked at Shirayuki from behind the man and she grinned. "That's pretty cool. You'd better hurry up or you'll be late. No worries, okay? Just pay attention to where you're going next time. Wouldn't want to step out in front of a truck or something. Or…you know…run into a villain."

"…ah…y-yes…thank you…" Shirayuki bowed again and moved around the two. She heard the man say something to his companion, but it was quiet; muttered under his breath. The girl frowned to herself behind her mask as she hurried toward the school. _That man…looked so angry when he saw my uniform. Does he have something against UA?_

"Yuki-chan! Hey, where's your friend from Class C?" Ashido greeted her when she arrived at the lockers.

"…he…had to stay home sick…" She looked over her shoulder toward the gate, still frowning. Something about the interaction with those two strangers had felt very unsettling. Not just because the man seemed so irritated by her being a UA student, but the woman seemed off as well. She had sounded and looked friendly. Smart even. The glasses she wore and the way she dressed made her look almost like an assistant or secretary.

"Hey, you okay? Did something happen?" Kaminari asked.

"…I…I'm fine…" The girl tried to reassure her friends. _Everything is alright…isn't it? I'm sure that that man just…was anxious. Like me._ She fidgeted with the hairband on her wrist, steadily calming herself down.

Kirishima walked alongside her, eyes fixed on the way her eyebrows furrowed and her shoulders drooped. It was obvious that something was wrong. "Oh, I know! Your friend is home sick, right? You want to make him a care package?"

"…care package…?"

"Yeah! You know! We'll get him some tea and medicine and stuff. He'd probably love that!" The redhead saw her face turning pink and he grinned. "Right, you guys? I know I'd love to get something like that if I was out sick!"

Ashido beamed. "That does sound cool! I'm not doing anything after school."

"I'm free, too. Don't leave me out," Kaminari chimed in.

Shirayuki began to smile and bowed her head a little more. "…you're…such good friends…I…I'm not sure what to say, but…thank you…it sounds like a great idea…and…I really want to try this…"

"That's the spirit! We'll all meet up after school and go shopping for supplies," the pink-haired girl determined.

**Shift P.O.V**

He had spent most of the day sleeping, trying to regain his strength and recover as quickly as possible. It was not a full blown cold yet. His throat hurt, he had a slight cough, and he felt extremely tired.

Opening his eyes, he looked at the alarm clock. It was afternoon. Shinsou frowned and coughed quietly, turning onto his side beneath the blanket. He hated making Shirayuki walk to school alone. All he could think about was how anxious she always seemed during their commute to school. The packed trains and the crowded sidewalks made her so nervous.

Closing his eyes, he nestled deeper into his blanket and frowned. The boy could just imagine her walking alone to the school with her head down and nervously messing with that hairband on her wrist. This was followed almost immediately by the thought of her classmate accosting her and making her cry. Shinsou pushed himself to sit up, running his fingers through his hair. _I need to get some medicine_, he decided. The sooner he was well enough to go back to school, the sooner he could be assured that she was alright.

He was home alone so he knew that he had to get the medicine himself. It would just be a quick walk to the pharmacy and then he could return to bed. He got dressed and was just opening the door to run his errand, when his calm indigo gaze settled on the girl standing right outside of his home.

Shirayuki was wearing black shorts and a long-sleeved blue shirt with black stars on it. Her long, dark violet hair was pulled back in a ponytail with the strands on either side of her face braided and clipped back loosely. The girl's mask for the day was a simple black mask and it contrasted nicely with the blush that rushed to her face when their eyes met. "…Sh-Shinsou…um…I…"

His eyes lowered to the bag in her hand and the very apparent square-shaped object inside. "Do you want to come in?"

"…I…don't want to impose…"

"It's fine," he assured her. Shinsou rubbed the back of his neck and frowned. "Wait. Maybe you shouldn't. I don't want you to get sick, too."

"…n-no…ah…my mask…should protect me from catching anything so…I-I don't want to bother you though…um…"

He leaned down, putting himself at eye level with her. "That mask is pretty thick," the boy commented. Straightening, he shifted his eyes away. "You're not bothering me, Shirayuki. I'm home alone so, if you want to come in…"

Her eyes widened a bit and she nodded. "…y-yes…I actually…I brought you a care package…with some things that should help you feel better…"

Not for the first time, he found himself admiring how cute she looked when she was flustered. She was obviously embarrassed about seeking him out and being so worried, but it was flattering to have her want to take care of him. As they went to the kitchen, he watched her pull the box out of her bag and nervously set it in front of him. She had tied it closed with a violet ribbon and he could just imagine her painstakingly selecting items for this care package. Trying to make it look nice and thinking about him as she prepared it.

Urged by her to open the box, Shinsou reluctantly untied the ribbon and pulled it open. Inside was a variety of items. Cold medicine, a few small boxes of tea, a pack of tissues infused with lotion to keep from irritating his skin, a bag of lozenges, a DVD he recognized from her personal collection at her house, and a little bag of homemade cookies.

He appreciated all of it, but most of all the cookies. Shinsou immediately knew that they were made by her. They were butter cookies in the shape of cat faces with little eyes and whiskers drawn on them with chocolate. "You didn't have to do this." His voice was quiet, wanting to hide just how happy these gifts really made him. It was a little embarrassing, but he really did love that she wanted to take care of him.

**Shift P.O.V**

"Did I miss anything interesting today?" Shinsou was eating one of the cookies she had made, a half-smile curling his lips.

Shirayuki was making a cup of tea for him and paused mid-pour to frown. "…we…had a security breach…" she replied, a slight quiver in her voice.

"What?" He met her gaze with a look of concern as she set his tea in front of him on the table. "Are you okay?"

"…y-yes…um…it turned out to just be…some reporters that got in, but…it was still scary…" She sat across from him with her own cup, bowing her head. "…everyone…was panicking…and I almost…got trampled…b-but my friend helped me…it just…was scary…to see everyone else so afraid…"

Amid the absolute chaos of everyone reacting to the breach, she really had been nearly injured when she tripped within the crowd. Shirayuki had been saved by Kirishima shielding her as he helped her stand again and she had clung to him for security until the rest of the students calmed down. They had almost called off the afterschool shopping trip, but the thought of Shinsou suffering from his illness had pushed her to go anyway.

"…um…we chose our class president and vice president today…" Shirayuki tried to lighten the mood a little. "…did 1-C do that already…?"

"Not yet." His expression had shifted to alarm when she spoke of almost being injured in the chaos earlier that day, but now his face softened. "That boy in your class didn't pick on you, did he?" He saw her shake her head. "Good."

A silence fell between them as Shirayuki sipped her tea and Shinsou reached for another cookie. Her cheeks started to burn pink as she realized how many he had eaten. "…ah…let me…I mean…d-do you mind if I cook for you…?" He raised an eyebrow. "…you just…seem hungry…"

The boy ran a hand through his hair, tousling the indigo locks. "You don't have to. You're a guest; you shouldn't feel like you have to do things for me."

"…but…I really want to…"

A faint hint of pink rose to his face and he looked down at his teacup. "Thank you." He glanced up and saw her already looking for something to cook. "You don't know how much I appreciate this, Shirayuki."


	17. Chapter 17

"Yuki, just stay back, okay?"

"Shut up, shitty hair! She can take care of herself!" Bakugou glared over at the girl. "Hey! You ate today, right?!"

She was trembling, but nodded. Shirayuki had known they were going to train in the USJ that day so she had eaten a decent breakfast. What she had not known was that villains would attack and everyone would get separated. _I have some extra snacks in my pouch, too. I just…I don't know how we're going to survive this. These are real criminals!_

The girl had been in training simulations before with her classmates, but nothing compared to this. She was still apprehensive about using her quirk on these strangers. _I have to be stronger than this! Kirishima-kun and Bakugou-kun are doing this best! I have to be able to fight if I want to be a hero!_ Shirayuki saw a particularly large man rushing at them from the doorway and lifted her right hand. Heat raced along her arm and the calorie-fueled blast sent the man back through the doorway, smashing him through a wall across the corridor.

"Nice one, Yuki!"

"Shut up! We've still got some coming! Ume, get over here!"

Shirayuki moved closer to Bakugou, fairly sure of what his plan was. If the two of them combined their attacks, she knew that they could take out most of the oncoming attackers. "…I…I think we…should have Kirishima-kun…in the front…" she muttered. "…to block…"

"Hey, yeah! Good idea, Yuki! Okay, I've got this!" The redhead put himself in front of the other two, slightly crouched to take any damage coming at them. "Let's go!"

The girl felt Bakugou's left arm link with her right and he started forward, directing the other two. She flexed the fingers on her left hand, prepared to blast anyone that came close. Her heart was racing, fear making her stomach churn. Shirayuki's experience with real fights was limited. She had defended herself a few times when she was bullied and she had sparred with her classmates in training for school.

As the three teenagers rushed forward to try to get out of the building, Shirayuki wondered if her father had ever felt this way. He had been a hero. He had been in some tough fights where it seemed as if his opponent would end him, but he could usually win. _Did he ever feel this scared?_

She blasted at their oncoming attackers, helping Bakugou to clear the hallway and then turning to keep an eye on the path behind them while he led. Shirayuki could feel a slight tremor in her legs as she ran, but there was no time for her to pause and eat. Stopping would mean leaving them exposed. Instead, she drew her arm from Bakugou's and let him grip her hand, giving her more of a reach in case she needed to do a sweeping blast.

Once they were out of the building, Kirishima surveyed the area around them. They were in the ruins zone so there were plenty of buildings for criminals to hide in. The three had to be on high alert. "We make an awesome team, you guys! You were so cool in there!"

"…th-thank you…um…you did a good job of protecting us…"

"Are you shaking?! What the hell? Ume, take this!" Bakugou rummaged in a pocket and drew forth a wrapped cream bun. He shoved it into her hands, scowling.

She accepted it with a quiet word of thanks and began eating. "…I-I'm sorry…my blood sugar…"

"Shut up! Just don't let it happen again, got it?! If your blood sugar gets that low, you'd better say something! I'm not carrying you if you pass out!"

"Hey, don't yell at her! She's just doing her best!" the redhead argued.

The blond looked from Shirayuki to the direction of most of their other classmates. "So are you gonna go stand with those weak nerds or are you gonna fight with us?" he demanded.

"…I'm…going to fight…" the girl mumbled.

"What?! C'mon! Speak up! I wanna hear you yell!"

She took a deep breath, her body trembling from nerves and embarrassment. Her face took on a shade of red as she opened her mouth, hands curling into fists. "I'm going to fight!"

"Yeah! That's what I'm talking about!"

Kirishima rubbed the back of his neck, half-smiling. "Wow, Yuki! I've never heard you yell before!" The half-smile blossomed into a grin as pink rose to his cheeks. "That was really cute! Okay! Let's do this!"

**Shift P.O.V**

"Shirayuki?" Shinsou stood in her doorway, hesitant to approach her.

He had heard about the USJ incident and came over to her house as soon as he could. There had been no mention of student casualties, but he still worried about her. She was fragile, even if her quirk was powerful. More than just her body, her emotional state was delicate. Something as traumatic as a villain attack was bound to take a toll on her. He was glad that he came to visit the girl.

Shirayuki was curled up on her bed, facing away from the doorway and hugging her large dragon stuffed animal. When she heard Shinsou's voice, she tensed and he could see her trembling. "…Sh-Shinsou…don't…come in…I'm sorry…I-I'm sorry, I just…I can't…"

The boy's mouth twisted into a deep frown as he stepped into her room. She sounded like she was trying not to cry. He glanced over his shoulder to the hallway for a moment. Her grandmother had let him in and had warned him that Shirayuki was distressed about the incident. He had thought he was prepared to see this, but the growing tightness in his chest proved him wrong. "Shirayuki…"

"…don't…I can't…I can't be around anyone…I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…I can't…do it…I can't be around people…I shouldn't…be around people…I'm…I'm not…"

His face set into a determined glare and he crossed the room. Shinsou knew what she needed in this moment. The thought of leaving her alone to deal with whatever was bothering her was just too much to bear. He moved onto the bed and wrapped both arms around her midsection, pulling her against his chest. "I'm not going to leave you alone."

Her trembling grew worse and she began to sob. "…I'm…I'm…dangerous…" The girl buried her face in the stuffed animal and the boy leaned down, cradling her against him and trying to comfort her. "…I'm…a monster…you sh-shouldn't…be friends with…s-someone like me…"

_What happened today? What would make you feel like this?_ Shinsou tightened his hold. "You're not a monster. And I'm not leaving you." When he tried to lean up to see her face, he was surprised to find her turning. The stuffed animal was released and she gripped the front of his shirt, her face now pressed into his chest. His eyes widened slightly, but he kept his hold on her. "Shirayuki?"

"…I…don't deserve to be a hero…what I did…my quirk…it's too much…I can't handle it…I don't…deserve it…I'm wrong…I'm all wrong…I'm not…I can't be…a hero…" she mumbled, her tears wetting the front of his shirt.

Shinsou lifted a hand to the back of her head, his fingers threading into her dark violet hair as he held her against him. "Yes, you can. You can be a hero. You _deserve_ to be a hero."

**Shift P.O.V**

Shirayuki's heart was racing in her chest, her cheeks a vibrant pink, as she felt his fingers run through her hair. The only other boy that had ever even touched her hair was Bakugou and he was always rough with it. Feeling Shinsou's fingers gently trailing through her locks, made her feel warm and caused a fluttery sensation in her stomach.

Taking a deep breath, trying to calm down, she managed to get her crying under control. If Shinsou still believed in her, he deserved to know what had happened. He was always so kind to her, so gentle. He always had her best interest at heart and made sure that she was comfortable with something before he did it. "My quirk killed someone." Her voice was soft, breaking, as she spoke.

The boy was silent, with the exception of the rapid beating of his heart. She could hear it, feel it, with her face so close to his chest. Shinsou brought her tighter against him after a moment. "I'm sorry."

"…so I r-really don't…deserve to be a hero…I don't…deserve friends…or…"

"You still want to be a hero, don't you?"

"…I-I do…" Shirayuki blinked and suddenly found herself on her back with her friend braced over her. _He…used his quirk on me?_

Shinsou's lips were drawn into a frown as he gently wiped away her tears. "Shirayuki…what happened to you?" It was now that he seemed to notice the fresh little cuts on her face and arms. The bruises that dotted her pale skin. "What did they do to make you lose control?"

She turned her head to the side, her face turning a bright pink at how close he was. "…Kirishima-kun…they snuck up behind him…they were…going to h-hurt him…and I just…wanted to protect him…a-and I…I didn't mean to…k-kill them…" Her eyes closed as more tears fell. The teachers had decided to not release this information. After all, announcing that a fifteen-year-old hero in training had killed someone would not reflect well on the school.

"You didn't mean for it to happen." He assured her. "I know that you wouldn't do that on purpose. You wanted to protect your friend." Shinsou saw her nod and he leaned down, an arm moving beneath her neck to hold her close to him. "I'm sorry that it happened."

Her body was trembling as she slid her arms around his neck to hug back. After everything, her blood sugar was low. She had not eaten yet. She felt like she did not deserve it after what had occurred in the USJ. "…Shinsou…"

"Close your eyes." A hand went beneath her chin to move her head so she faced him. The girl's crimson eyes stared up into his indigo ones and he frowned. "Shirayuki. Please."

She obeyed his command and tensed. "…what…are you doing…?" Shirayuki felt his legs move to either side of hers so that he was basically hovering over her hips. The closeness of his body to hers made her blush go from pink to red.

His hold on her chin was firm, but gentle at the same time. Warm breath tickled at her right ear as he leaned down. "I always ask you first before I do something, but I know that you need this. Don't be angry with me."

Shirayuki felt warm, soft lips press against hers and the girl's stomach began to do flips. The fluttery sensation in her chest grew intense as she felt his kiss combine with his fingers now running through her hair. The tears that ran from her eyes were no longer ones of sadness. Her feelings of guilt and despair were being overshadowed by his expression of love.


	18. Chapter 18

NeonHorizon: Hey. So. What kind of stuff do you like to read about? I've had some cute slice of life chapters, some sweet romantic chapters, and some heroic action chapters. What kinds of stuff do you happy readers like the best?

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"Yuki went somewhere? Do you know when she'll be back?"

"I'm sorry. I don't know what time they'll be back. Do you want me to call her and ask?" The old woman frowned and looked past Kirishima to the other figure near the gate. "Oh dear."

The redhead looked over his shoulder for a moment, confused. Just seeing Bakugou, he turned back to the old woman. "It's alright. She's going to be at school on Monday, right?"

"Of course! Ume hates missing school, you know."

"Yeah." Kirishima rubbed the back of his neck and said his farewells to her, thanking her. Walking back to his classmate, he frowned. "She's not here."

"I heard what the old lady said! I wasn't standing that far away!" The blond scowled and glared at the house for a moment before turning away. "Whatever. Not like I care how she is."

Seeing him start off down the sidewalk, the other boy jogged to catch up. "Hey, wait! Do you think she's okay? After what happened yesterday…you know?"

Bakugou kicked at a pebble, sending it speeding ahead of them down the pavement. "I don't care! She's probably with that guy from that other class! Who cares?! If you're so damn worried, why don't you call her?"

Kirishima drew his phone from his pocket, but hesitated to call. "If she's hanging out with someone, we probably shouldn't bother her."

"What's this "we" bullshit?"

His eyes went from the screen to the grouchy boy walking beside him. "I thought we were both worried about her."

"Yeah right! I don't care about her!"

"So why were you standing outside of her house when I got there?"

Bakugou felt a rush of heat to his face and gritted his teeth. Shoving his hands into his pockets, he kicked another pebble. "Shut up! I was just there to get what she owes me!"

They continued to walk, both of them silent for a long moment. Just long enough for Bakugou to think that maybe Kirishima was going to let it go. "Okay so why didn't you ring the doorbell? You were just hanging out in front of her house. Did you call her or-?"

"I said to shut up! It's not what you're thinking! I just wanted a damn bun because I gave her mine! It's not like I care about her!"

"Okay, okay!" Kirishima put his hands up, but could not help grinning at the reddish hue on the other boy's face.

**Shift P.O.V**

He was glad to see her smile. Though it was obstructed by her mask, Shinsou knew she was smiling. The corners of her eyes lifted a little and there was a certain sheen to those crimson eyes that told him that she was happy. He allowed himself a half-smile as he watched her look at the menu. It was rare to see her so excited about something. The only other time he had seen her this animated, it was when she looked at kittens.

"…so many choices…" she murmured. "…this one…sounds so good, but…this one does, too…" Shirayuki seemed to sense that he was looking at her because she lifted her gaze from the menu and began to flush pink. "…ah…s-sorry…I'm mumbling again…aren't I…?"

"It's fine," he assured her. "Which ones are you looking at?"

When she leaned over, lowering her menu to point them out, he felt his smile falter. With the menu lowered, he could see the healing bruises and cuts on her skin. This date had been his idea. Classes were cancelled while the USJ incident was being more closely investigated so it seemed like the perfect chance for a date. Not to mention that he wanted to cheer her up. There was no way that Shinsou could let her stay home and dwell on what had happened.

As she read the descriptions of the two items she was curious about, he started to smile again. "We can get both. I'll order this one and you get that one. Then we can share and see what they're both like. What do you think?"

Shirayuki's eyes widened a little and she nodded. "…th-that sounds great…"

Their orders were placed and when their food came, Shinsou immediately noticed her eating carefully. Her mask was pulled down so it rested around her neck and she took really dainty bites of her food, keeping her head bowed. Seeing her do this made him feel guilty about taking her out somewhere. In his own excitement to have this date, he had forgotten how self-conscious she was about her mouth.

He wanted to apologize, but at the same time he knew he should say nothing. Drawing attention to it would only make her feel worse. Resolving to just make it up to her later somehow, Shinsou began eating. Every so often, he would glance toward her and saw that she was blushing. Seeing it with no obstruction made him smile. The soft, pink tint to her cheeks was rather cute and knowing that he was the cause of it filled him with happiness.

**Shift P.O.V**

Shirayuki could feel people looking at her in the restaurant. It was enough to almost make her want to leave, but when she saw Shinsou's half-smile, she decided to stay. He was having a good day and she did not want to be the one to bring it to an abrupt end. He had even called it a date.

Her first date had been nerve-wracking. She had been pressured into it by Bakugou and at the end of it, he had stolen her first kiss. That date had made her so anxious that she had to miss school the next day. This date was so much different. Shinsou had arrived that morning and asked her if she wanted to go out with him for the day. She could not agree quickly enough.

Now she was sitting across from him, enjoying a nice lunch. Still, she was so nervous that it almost overshadowed the taste of the food. Every time she looked up, she saw that he seemed to be enjoying himself. He would flash her a half-smile if she started to act worried.

When they left the restaurant, she decided to let him lead the way to the next place they were going. _He planned this nice day for me._ Her heart raced as he looked at her over his shoulder and raised an eyebrow. "…ah…s-sorry…"

"Can I…?" Shinsou reached for her hand and laced their fingers. When he began walking again, it was with her beside him. "Is this okay?"

She nodded once, trying to ignore the heat in her cheeks. Every time they touched, even by accident, she was reminded of his kiss the previous evening. It was abrupt and had startled her at first, but his lips had felt so nice against hers. _He wasn't bothered by my mouth. He didn't even care that my mouth is like this. He…treated me like I have normal lips._

A bubbly feeling came over her as they walked down the street, her heart beating fast. "…Shinsou…thank you…for everything…you always…try so hard…"

"I like you. I don't like it when you're sad so I'm just…trying to make you feel happy," he protested. He glanced over to find her head bowed, eyes on the sidewalk below. "What's wrong?"

"…n-nothing…I just…l-last night…that kiss…um…"

"Sorry about that. Was it too rough? I should've waited longer-"

"N-No!" She placed her free hand over her mask-covered mouth and looked away, face turning red behind her mask. "…I just…I r-really liked it…but…I wanted to know…if my mouth bothered you…"

The boy's indigo eyes widened. "What?"

"…my mouth isn't…n-normal…so I thought…it might have been…unpleasant…"

Shinsou shook his head, frowning. "No. Shirayuki. I don't want to say this. It's kind of embarrassing."

She saw a slight pinkish hue rise to his face as he looked away. "…what…?"

He glanced to her and then quickly away again. "I really like you. A lot. So I really wanted to kiss you, but I didn't want to scare you. I know you get nervous easily so I was waiting for the right time. I didn't know how you'd react or what it would be like, but I really liked it. I wanted to kiss you again, but I didn't want to scare you." His free hand slid over his face, trying to hide the increasing warmth that colored his cheeks.

Her chest grew tight, heart skipping a beat at the sight of him looking so flustered. _He looks so…cute…when he does that._ Dropping her gaze to the ground, she felt her lips pulling into a wide smile behind her mask. She was very glad for the cover now as the two teenagers walked side by side. _He really likes me that much? Really?_

A sudden burst of pain in her shoulder made Shirayuki yelp softly and she was knocked into Shinsou's side. She lifted her head in time to see a young man, around college age, glaring down at her. There were three other men walking with him and all of them seemed to now have their attention on the teenagers. "…I…I'm sorry…"

"Watch where you're going! What the hell is wrong with you? Who walks around with their head down like that? What? You think you're too good to make eye contact with other people?" the man taunted.

Shinsou gripped the girl's hand tighter and nudged her behind him. "She said that she was sorry," he started. "Just let it go." He did not want to have to use his quirk on these bullies while he was on a date, but he would if he had to.

One of the men behind the first one scoffed. "Oh, she's "sorry"? What if she bumped someone into the street? What if she made him trip?"

"I spilled some coffee! I want some kinda payment for spilling my coffee on the sidewalk! Now which one of you brats is gonna pay up?!" another one chimed in.

"Hey, boys~! No worries, no worries! That stain doesn't look too bad. Let me take a look, hm?" A female voice spoke from behind them. The men turned and the two teenagers were able to see a woman with glasses and long white hair. She was smiling cheerfully up at the men as she spoke. "Heh! Yeah, that won't stain. No worries, boys! But you know…this might leave a _sick burn_~" Her hand went beneath the cup and smacked it upwards, dousing the man's chest in hot coffee.

Shinsou watched this with wide eyes and gripped Shirayuki's hand tighter. As the woman's gaze fell upon him, he turned and began to quickly walk away. He could tell from her expression that she was not there to help them. Her intentions were malicious. "Shirayuki, do you know that woman?"

"…I…I think I've seen her…before…on the way to school…she was with someone…a man with blue hair…" Shirayuki's eyes widened now and she began to sprint ahead of Shinsou, holding his hand securely. "…we…need to get somewhere crowded…and blend in…"

Spotting an arcade up ahead, with people their age clamoring around the entrance, he nodded. "That looks like a good place."


	19. Chapter 19

NeonHorizon: If you've ever read any of my other stories, you'll know that I like to make every tenth chapter extra special ^_^ So look forward to the next chapter!

* * *

She's_ stress-eating._ He watched an entire chocolate bar disappear beneath the girl's mask and had to turn away to hide his smile. As much as he hated to see her upset, it was still cute to see her eat. "Do you want to play a game since we're here?" Shinsou asked, trying to distract her.

The girl was rummaging in her bag for another snack, but paused and flushed red when she realized that he had noticed. "…ah…um…o-okay…"

"What kind of games do you like?"

Shirayuki bowed her head and nervously picked at the skin around her fingers. "…I don't…I don't know…I've never gone to an arcade before…"

The arcade was fairly crowded so he knew that she was probably feeling extremely nervous. To make matters worse, he was unsure if the pale-haired woman from earlier had followed them or not. Gently taking Shirayuki's hand in his, he began walking toward a two-player shooter game. "How about that one?"

Her eyes lifted to it and her eyebrows furrowed in puzzlement. "…how do you…play this…?"

"It's a game that we play as a team," he explained. "Just try to shoot as many enemies as you can. It's the only game open right now so…"

"…ah…o-okay…I'll try my best…"

Shinsou watched her take the plastic toy gun in her hands and had to smile to himself. Her hands were small enough that she needed both of them to be able to properly hold it up. As the game started, his thoughts drifted back to the incident on the sidewalk.

_She looked at Shirayuki like she knew her from somewhere. She didn't seem old enough to be her mother though. And they don't look related. _A glance over showed Shirayuki doing her best to shoot at the enemies, but her hands were trembling. He had never seen her so terrified of another woman before. She was always nervous around boys and a little anxious around girls, but when she saw that pale-haired woman, she looked truly fearful.

He had to be vigilant now. Whoever the stranger was, it was clear that she was not as friendly as she was pretending to be. If she followed them, he would do everything that he could to protect Shirayuki from her. Narrowing his eyes on an enemy onscreen, he aimed the controller and prepared to pull the trigger. _Shirayuki said something about a man with blue hair, too. Didn't she?_

**Shift P.O.V**

Her hands were still trembling, but she could feel herself starting to calm down a little. The large amount of other people in the building was still making her a bit nervous though. The sheer cacophony of voices all around her, elbows bumping into her every now and then, and the nearness of strangers were enough to make her want to hide in the bathroom until the arcade closed. She took a deep breath and tried to focus on the game, stealing a quick glance at her date.

Shinsou was looking at the screen, apparently in deep concentration. He was standing rather close to her since the area was so crowded and every time his arm brushed against hers, it made her heart beat a little faster. Their date had taken an odd turn, but it was still a date. She was still hanging out with a boy that she liked and he liked her back.

She was distracted by these thoughts so when a boy bumped into her hard from her right, she was almost knocked over. Biting her lip, she was instantly reminded of the incident on the sidewalk. Before she even had the chance to mutter an apology to this stranger, Shinsou stepped in.

"Watch where you're going."

"Oh! Sorry, dude. My bad. Is she okay?" the stranger spoke.

"She's fine. Just be more careful." He moved behind Shirayuki, bringing her a little bit closer to the screen and keeping her shielded from the rest of the arcade with his back. "You okay?"

"…y-yes…thank you…" Behind her mask, she was turning red at the closeness of his chest against her back. When an arm slipped around her waist, Shirayuki felt her lips pulling into a wide smile and she bowed her head to hide her embarrassment. _He feels…so warm. And nice._

When they were done with that game, he held her hand as they navigated through the arcade in search of another game to play. She was grateful for even just this small gesture. The idea of getting separated from him in this mass of strangers was enough to make her nauseous.

Shinsou was looking for where to go next when he caught her staring off in one particular direction. Following her line of sight, he half-smiled. "Do you want to go to that one next?"

"…ah…I-I'm not…um…I just…it looked cute and…"

"Which one?" He led the way over to the crane game and watched Shirayuki lean in close to marvel at the selection of stuffed animals. When his eyes caught sight of the shimmery black and blue dragon with golden eyes, he knew which one she would want.

The girl flushed when he smiled, feeling a warmth rush through her. _His smile is…so…_Shirayuki could not finish the thought. It was so hard to describe. Seeing him smile that way made her feel warm and happy. Almost bubbly. As he focused on trying to grab the dragon plush with the crane claw, his eyes half-closed in concentration. _He's…so cool…_

**Shift P.O.V**

_Why can't I get this?_ He was starting to get frustrated and finally stepped back after multiple attempts. Looking at the dragon's position among the other toys, he knew that he might need to use the claw a few times to move them aside. He could try to grab any of them, but Shinsou really wanted to get her the dragon. It reminded him of the one she had on her bed and he knew that she would really like it. _I need to think about this more, but I don't want someone else to get it first._

His gaze slid from the stuffed animal to Shirayuki. The girl's sharp, crimson eyes were locked on the figure, a hand lifted and fingertips gently settled against the glass. "Do you want to try?"

She turned her head quickly, startled. "…I…I probably won't be able to…"

"It's okay." His lips drew into a half-smile and he rubbed the back of his neck. "You might have better luck than me. We won't know unless you try."

"…ah…alright…"

Shinsou stepped aside to let her try and was amazed when she not only succeeded, but managed to snag a second dragon that had been stuck beneath the black and blue dragon. _How did I not see that one? And how did she do that? _He bent down to get the two dragons. When he saw her hug the black and blue one to her chest, he felt his heart skip a beat and he looked away. _She's…so cute._

"…um…I…" She turned red behind her mask when his indigo gaze shifted to her face. "Shinsou, I want you to have this one." Shirayuki held out the second dragon, her hand trembling as if she feared rejection.

He accepted it, unable to keep the initial surprise from his face. Looking down at the dark gray and purple dragon, he could not help smiling again. "Thanks."

Checking the time, he saw that they had been at the arcade for a little over two hours. The pale-haired stalker would surely be gone by now. "Do you want to leave?" he inquired, glancing to his date.

"…it's…probably safe now…" she agreed. Shirayuki reached for his free hand, lacing her fingers with his. By this point, her trembling had decreased significantly.

Feeling better about the rest of their date, Shinsou led the way outside. The previous night, he had started to plan what to do on their date to help her forget about the USJ incident. He wanted to make her happy so he put a lot of thought into each place they would go. While he had not anticipated the weird encounter with the pale-haired woman, he was sure that he could still make this date a pleasant, memorable one.

Outside, the afternoon air was warm. The sidewalks were still a bit crowded, but he kept Shirayuki close to his side and kept her on the side away from the street. If someone got too close to her, he shifted to put himself between the girl and the stranger. _I'm not going to let anyone ruin this date_, he told himself. _She needs this to be a good day. She deserves this._

It was at a crosswalk when he caught sight of something that would definitely ruin their date. Something that would plunge Shirayuki back into fear. Shinsou's eyes narrowed on the redhead and the ash blond beside him. They were on the opposite side of the street, waiting for the light to change. The redhead was talking excitedly to the other boy, who seemed to be doing his best to ignore him. Thankfully, Shirayuki had her head down as she examined her dragon plush.

As indigo met red, Shinsou's hand gripped Shirayuki's a little tighter. Across the street, the blond narrowed his eyes in fury and scowled. Shinsou turned, looking down the sidewalk at a row of shops. "Let's go this way," he suggested.

"…ah…o-okay…?" Shirayuki was about to glance toward the crosswalk, but he caught her chin with his free hand to stop her. She blinked up at him as warmth rushed to her cheeks behind her mask. "…Shinsou…?"

With his dragon plush tucked under his arm, he leaned down and tugged her mask aside. He closed his eyes and his lips met hers, startling her. The boy could feel her lips press against his, the kiss tasting of sweets. When he drew back, he smiled down at her and put her mask over her nose and mouth again. "Sorry. I couldn't resist. Did I surprise you?"

She placed a hand over her mask and nodded, but it was clear from her eyes that she was smiling. "…you…startled me…" she admitted, her voice soft.

"Did you like it?" Shinsou started leading her down the sidewalk again, knowing that he would need to improvise once more. _First that lady and now the bully from her class. We can't catch a break today._

"…I…I really liked it…" Shirayuki walked a bit faster so she was beside him and tucked her toy beneath her arm. Reaching up, she pulled her mask down just enough to flash him a brief smile and then replaced it.

As they got close to the first shop, he glanced over his shoulder and caught sight of her classmates on the sidewalk behind them. They had just crossed the street, but Shinsou could tell that the blond was glaring directly at them. The redhead was still talking to him, but glanced in Shirayuki's direction.

"…where are we going…?"

"Do you want to get some coffee here?" Shinsou looked at the café they were now approaching and his eyes widened. _Cat café? When did this open?_ All it took was one glance at his date to know that this was definitely a place that they needed to go into. She nodded and he led her inside, fairly certain that her bully would not follow them in.


	20. Chapter 20

NeonHorizon: A challenger appears!

* * *

The environment inside the cat café was calm and pleasant. A wonderful contrast to the chaos and terror of the crowded street outside. As Shirayuki followed Shinsou to a table, she looked at the cute decorations in the café and the various cat furniture around them. Every cat tree in the area had content-looking felines lounging there.

_So cute! They have so many cute cats here!_ Her pulse sped up as they sat at a table and she accepted a menu. It was almost too much. Shirayuki's gaze kept wandering to the cats and to the cute pictures on the walls. When she felt a hand rest on hers, she looked across the table and felt warmth rush to her cheeks. The sight of Shinsou's half-smile made everything else temporarily fade away.

"Is this okay?" His tone was gentle and it was clear that he had noticed her excitement.

"…y-yes…I like this…" She smiled behind her mask and lowered her gaze to the menu. _He's…so sweet. Being here with him makes me feel so happy. And that kiss…made me feel so warm…and tingly._ Bowing her head, she let her dark violet hair fall forward to hide the pink hue of her face.

"I didn't embarrass you, did I? I should have asked before I kissed you. I wasn't really thinking, I just…" Shinsou rubbed the back of his neck, indigo eyes flitting from the menu in his hand to the girl's face. "I'm sorry."

"…no…um…actually…I liked the surprise…it was…exciting…" Fidgeting with the hairband on her wrist, she glanced up to find him looking at her. The girl's smile grew more and she lowered her gaze again. _When he looks at me that way, it makes my chest feel tight. I can't breathe. But it makes me feel so…happy. Like nothing else matters. Like we're the only ones here._

Of course, there were other people in the café as well. Mostly women, but at least two other couples that seemed to be there on a date. When the waitress came for their order, Shirayuki timidly ordered a latte that was affectionately referred to on the menu as "The Cat's Meow". When she had to order it, her face turned red with embarrassment, but it seemed to make Shinsou smile.

"Where do you want to go after this?" He jumped a little and looked down. As she considered his question, Shinsou leaned down and lifted a smoky gray Persian cat onto his lap.

Staring at the animal's cute, flat face, Shirayuki felt herself wanting to giggle. "…you…had plans…didn't you…?"

The cat was standing on its back legs, pressing its front paws against the boy's chest so it could tap its nose against his. Shinsou blinked, surprised. He carefully lowered it so it sat down on his lap again, rubbing his nose with his free hand. "I wasn't sure if you wanted to go home. This day hasn't really gone the way I thought that it would." He saw her shoulders droop a little and he frowned. "I'm still having a good time, but I know that you don't like crowds. And that lady on the sidewalk kind of ruined things."

"…I'm…having a good time…" she protested. It was true. Despite every odd occurrence that day, Shirayuki was still having a really good day. She was on a date with the boy that she liked. The girl was able to win him a prize playing that crane game. She was even visiting a cat café. "…this…has been a really good date…"

When he heard her say this, his face started to turn pink. Half-smiling, Shinsou turned his head and looked to the pastel purple wall to his right. "I'm really glad that you're having a good time. I've never been on a date before so I wasn't sure what to do," he admitted, his voice soft.

"…it's…one of the best days I've had…but…"

"What? What is it?" His head turned again, his eyes meeting hers.

She had her head bowed once more, her delicate fingers toying with a strand of dark violet hair. "…the best day…that I've had…was when you came over and…we just watched movies…and spent time together on the couch…" Feeling his stare, she slowly lifted her gaze. "…I-I mean…I've had fun today…and I do like going out like this…but…at home…it's just us…and…"

"I understand what you mean." Shinsou flashed her a full smile. "And I agree. That was a pretty good day."

"Aren't you a cute couple? Would you like a booth or a table?"

Shirayuki heard the waitress speak, but her attention was on Shinsou now as he struggled with the cat on his lap. It was reaching up with both front paws, trying to grab a lock of his hair. She put a hand over her mask, over her mouth, to try to muffle a laugh. While she did feel a little sorry for him, it was cute to see him try so hard to delicately push the cat away from his hair.

"…can I…?" She held out both hands for the cat and accepted it from her friend. Immediately, the cat began to paw at her mask and she could not help but giggle._ Its face is so cute, but…it looks so serious! _The girl stroked behind its ears, making it start to purr as its attention turned to her hair. It was much easier for the cat to bat at her hair since it was so long and she had no problem with letting it.

Shinsou leaned his chin in his hand as he watched, still wearing a half-smile. "How many cats are at your house?"

Her eyes lifted to his as she smiled behind her mask. "…we have…seven cats…and we still have one kitten left…"

"You and your grandmother must really love cats. I noticed you have all of those waving cat statues."

"…ah…those…were actually my father's…he collected them…and half of the cats we have…we're letting them stay…until there's room for them at a shelter…"

**Shift P.O.V**

"What are you getting? This sample tray looks really good! Check out this drink list!" Kirishima looked across the table and saw a dark expression on his classmate's face. He followed his line of sight to a table across the café where their friend was on her date. "Hey, Bakugou! If I get this, you wanna split it?"

"What're you talking about, shitty hair?" He finally turned his head and saw Kirishima pointing at something on the menu. "Fine. Whatever. I don't care."

"What did Yuki get? I bet she got something pretty good; she's got good taste in food." The redhead squinted, trying to see what was being brought to his friend's table. "Is that a coffee?"

"Shut up! I can't hear what they're saying!"

Kirishima rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to the menu. "Why'd we follow her? She's going to be upset that we're here."

"You saw what he did!"

"Yeah; he kissed her. They're on a date, dude. It happens."

"They're not even-! Ugh! This is stupid! I don't have to explain myself to you; just shut the hell up so I can hear them!" Bakugou crossed his arms and tried to focus on what was being said, but his concentration was shattered when the waitress showed up to get their orders.

"I want this sample tray and what kind of drink did that girl get? That looks good." Kirishima was pointing at Shirayuki when the blond boy looked over.

"Oh! She got "The Cat's Meow"! It's a latte, but we do a little design in the milk foam on top! It's pretty popular!"

"I want that! Can they draw something manly on mine? And he'll have one, too." Seeing that Bakugou was going to shout at him, he grinned. "My treat."

The blond bristled at this, but knew that this was an argument he would not win. "Fine, whatever. But you're not paying for mine!"

Looking at Shirayuki and her date made his blood boil. It was bad enough that she humiliated him by not even being home that morning, but then she actually went out on a date with another guy. It set his teeth on edge. He hated the boy from the first time he saw him.

_Who the hell does he think he is? He's all over her like she's already his. This is so stupid. What does she even see in that guy? She keeps smiling at him. What's he saying to her that's so great? _Bakugou's pulse was so fast and so hard that he could feel it in his ears. It made his head hurt. The longer he sat there doing nothing, watching Shirayuki interact with this boy from another class, the worse his head started to feel. He became sick to his stomach with anger.

"Man, I should've asked her out when I had the chance. Those two look pretty serious," Kirishima remarked.

"Shut up! They're just on a date; it doesn't even mean anything!"

"I don't know. Look how happy she is." The redhead grinned. "That smile is adorable. I'd die for that smile."

"Shut up! Damn it, I can't take this anymore!"

**Shift P.O.V**

The girl's mask was pulled down so she could enjoy her latte. When it had arrived, she was delighted to see that they had drawn a fluffy kitten in the foam on top. As she was about to take her first sip, Shirayuki saw a figure approaching their table from the side and tensed. She quickly set down the cup and moved to cover her mouth again.

A hand darted out to grab her wrist and crimson eyes glared down into hers. "What the hell, Ume?! What the hell is this? You're on a date with a guy like _him_?"

Shinsou reached across the table, grabbing his wrist tightly and glowering up at him. "Don't touch her."

"This doesn't concern you! I wasn't even talking to you! Ume, are you seriously on a date with this guy?!"

"…stop…" She tried to pull away, but found him leaning down close to her face. "…Bakugou-kun…don't…"

"You went on a date with this guy, but you avoid me after one stupid kiss?!"

"Let go of her." There was a warning tone to Shinsou's words now. "You're making her upset."

"Shut up!" The blond turned his attention back to her now. "What's _he_ have that _I_ don't have, huh?! You didn't even give me a chance! You keep avoiding me!"

"…I…I'm not avoiding you…I'm…just busy…" she argued.

"So what?! Make time!"

"…I'm…on a date…so please…just leave me alone…"

"I'm not leaving!"

"Hey, everyone calm down!" Kirishima grinned and gently took Bakugou's upper arm to try to help Shirayuki get free. "Okay, how about this? Bakugou, you let Yuki finish her date with her friend and maybe she'll give you a chance tomorrow? We don't have school tomorrow so you're both free, right?"

He smirked. "Fine. I'm picking you up tomorrow morning. Don't make me wait around for you, Ume!"


	21. Chapter 21

NeonHorizon: Did someone call for a taser...?

* * *

When Shirayuki left her room that morning, it was with a feeling of dread sitting heavily in her stomach. She had no appetite and had woken much too early. Lying awake, staring at her new dragon plush toy, she worried over what the next day would bring. Her date with Shinsou had been so nice. She had felt so happy. This date with Bakugou could only go badly.

She had dressed nicely for the previous day, but the amount of effort she put into her outfit on this day was minimal. Dark violet shorts, white knee high socks, and a pale blue blouse with short sleeves. Nothing nearly as nice as the dress she had worn for Shinsou.

Stepping out of her room, she heard her grandmother's voice and it made her pause. _Who is she talking to? Did Bakugou-kun show up really early?_

"You have a good appetite, don't you? Did you skip breakfast just to come see Ume?" the old woman asked.

Shirayuki entered the living room and stopped dead in her tracks. "…Grandma…what…?"

Kaminari was seated on the couch and flashed her a dazzling smile, lifting a hand in greeting. "Hey, Yuki! You're finally up!" The cookie in his hand started crumbling a little and he moved to try to catch the crumbs in his mouth.

"Oh! Ume, here you are! Your friend said that you're going somewhere today. Do you need some spending money?" Her grandmother turned away from Kaminari with a large plate of cookies, the expression on her face one of absolute delight.

"…no, I…still have some allowance left…" Shirayuki adjusted her mask and glanced back to Kaminari.

The blond was standing now, brushing cookie crumbs off of his shorts and watching the cats clamor to get at them. "Wow. You look pretty cute, Yuki. That color looks really good on you," he commented, grinning.

"…um…why…?"

"Oh! Sorry that I didn't call first! I probably should've done that, right? Well, anyway, you look really nice." He approached her and seemed to somehow know that she was frowning. "What's up?"

"…I-I'm just…confused…"

He tilted his head as her grandmother left for the kitchen. Realization crossed his features and his smile turned sheepish. "I'm coming with you on your date. You were wondering why I was here, right?"

"…yes…um…but…B-Bakugou-kun won't…like…"

"So?" Kaminari carefully avoided tripping over a cat as he followed her to the entryway. He watched her put on her shoes, pulling his own on without looking, and smiled once more. "Kirishima called me last night and said you had a date today, but he wished you had a taser. So here I am! Just think of me as your personal taser for the day, Yuki. You tell me to shock someone and I'll do it."

"…taser…?" She adjusted her bag over her shoulder and gave him a curious look from over her mask. _I don't understand. Kirishima-kun was the one that suggested this, but he's worried about me?_

"Yep! So if Bakugou, or anyone else, gets out of hand or makes you uncomfortable, you just tell me. I'll take care of them. Sound good?" The boy's golden eyes met her red ones and his expression turned sheepish again. "Also, Kirishima and Ashido don't know that I'm going along on your date. It's kind of embarrassing, you know? Getting worried so worried about a friend that I'm tagging along on their date."

Shirayuki could feel her face getting warmer and bowed her head. "…I won't tell anyone…" she agreed.

"We'll just pretend like I came here to hang out and didn't know, okay?" He saw her nod and Kaminari grinned. "You're really sweet, you know? I just said something super lame and you didn't even laugh."

"…I…didn't think it was lame…and you're my friend…you…called me your friend…and that made me really happy…" She fidgeted with her hairband and smiled behind the mask, embarrassed by how delighted she was over a simple word such as "friend".

When the door opened, they were greeted with the sight of Bakugou loitering near the gate. He looked first at Shirayuki and then at the smiling Kaminari. "What the hell is _he_ doing here?! Did you call him?"

As the two teenagers walked toward the gate, Kaminari lifted his hands in defense. "Whoa! I just came over to hang out with her! Chill!"

"We're going somewhere! Damn it! You're not coming with us, got it?! Come on, Ume!" Bakugou grabbed her left hand tightly and started off down the sidewalk. When he felt her lagging behind a little, he glanced over his shoulder and scowled. Kaminari was now holding her right hand and walking with them. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"I wanted to hang out with Yuki. Come on, it's not that big of a deal if I come with you, right? I'll hang back, if you want. I wouldn't want to intrude on your date."

Instantly, the other boy's face went red. "It's not a date! This is none of your business! Ume, let's go!"

She was pulled forward roughly, her right hand slipping from Kaminari's hold. The girl gave him an apologetic look as Bakugou pulled her forward. "…where…are we going…?" she finally managed to ask.

"We're going somewhere fun, okay? I thought about it all night and-!" He caught himself and went silent, gritting his teeth. The boy shook his head angrily. "I mean, I'm taking you wherever I want, got it?!"

To her complete, and pleasant, surprise she was brought to the cat café from the day before. The menu was different since it was morning and she felt happiness starting to bubble up again. _These pastries…all look so good._ A cat rubbed against her leg and she released a giggle from behind her mask. The cats and overall cuteness of the café was enough to make her momentarily forget her situation.

Bakugou watched her lift the cat onto her lap and his eyes narrowed. "Why's the face on that one so flat? It's weird-looking."

"…it's a Persian cat…" she replied softly. Shirayuki rubbed behind the cat's ears and was rewarded with purring. The bubbly feeling made her a little giddy as she let the cat rub its face against her covered cheek.

**Shift P.O.V**

Across the table, the boy's cheeks were burning with a blush. He had seen how happy the café made her the previous day and knew that this was where to start their date. They would start with her smiling and end with her smiling. He would show her a better time than that boy from class C.

The only problem with his plan was the dopey blond boy sitting to his right. Kaminari was smiling and reaching over to pet the cat that Shirayuki was holding. When he heard him make a joke about the cat's face and Shirayuki laughed, Bakugou felt himself getting vexed.

He managed to stop himself from saying something scathing. This was going to be a good day for her, even if it killed him. Looking down at the menu, he cringed at the names of the items. All of the drinks and food had cutesy cat-themed names that he would not be caught dead saying aloud. When the waitress came to get their order, he simply glared and pointed at what he wanted.

When their orders came, he began to eat, but paused when he glanced at Shirayuki. She had her mask pulled down so her full face was in view. The girl was currently enjoying a pastry and the smile on her lips after that first bite made his heart skip a beat. He put his head down as he lifted a bite of food to eat, but let his eyes lift to steal another glance. She was still smiling, her crimson eyes sparkling with bliss as she got ready to take another bite.

It made him irritated that he had to share this moment with their classmate. It was so rare that he saw her full face. Even rarer that he would see her smile. _That idiot is ruining everything_, he thought. Glaring at Kaminari, he chewed his food.

Gathering some of the pastry onto his fork, Bakugou smirked and leaned across the table. "Hey, Ume. Try this."

"…wh-what…um…?"

"C'mon. Open up." When she took the fork, he started to frown, but at least she was kind of doing what he wanted. She took a bite and began to smile wider, clearly enjoying it. "Give me some of yours."

"Here you go!" Kaminari used his own fork to get some of Shirayuki's pastry and, before Bakugou could dodge, shoved the fork into his mouth. "That's pretty good, right? It's chocolate hazelnut."

He yanked the fork out of his mouth, tempted to hurl at the other blond, when he heard laughter to his left. His eyes narrowed and shifted in that direction to find a two couples around their age near the entrance. They were snickering and it was immediately apparent that they were whispering. "What's so damn funny?!"

"I can't believe "Wide-mouth Shirayuki" is actually out with two guys! What the hell? Are they sight-impaired or something?" One of the girls snickered.

"Maybe they asked her out before they really saw her face!" a boy replied.

Bakugou heard them continue their taunting as his blood began to boil. A glance across the table showed that Shirayuki's head was bowed, but he could still see tears rolling down her cheeks. Her face was bright red from embarrassment and she was struggling to pull her mask back up. "That's it! You assholes want to fight?!"

"Whoa! Calm down, Bakugou!" Kaminari tried to stop him, but it was futile.

"Shut up! Anyone that makes fun of Ume has to answer to me, got it? I'm not letting them get away with talking like that about her! Come on, you cowards!"

When he got up and started advancing on them, the other teens rushed for the door. They left, but not without shouting a few more insults. Now he was fuming. As he sat down again, Bakugou glared at the door. "I'm not letting them ruin this, Ume. You shouldn't, either."

"…those kids…w-were from my junior high…" Her voice shook as she spoke and she wiped at her eyes, but the tears were falling fast. "…I'm sorry…it's my fault…this is my fault…"

"Yuki, it's not your fault. Those guys were just jerks," Kaminari tried to assure her. "Don't let them get to you."

Bakugou saw her crying and his scowl deepened. His hand darted over to grab hers. It was a little too tight of a grip at first and made her wince, but he loosened it to a comfortable level when he saw that. "Ume, look at me!" Her gaze lifted to meet his, her eyes shining wetly with tears. "I'm gonna make this better, got it?"


	22. Chapter 22

NeonHorizon: Just in case you thought that Shinsou was just going to sit at home that day...

* * *

_They're off to a weird start._ Shinsou lingered down the street in the shade beneath a tree, keeping himself just out of sight. He saw Shirayuki emerge from her house with a blond boy that he recognized as one of her friends and knew exactly how her "date" was going to react to that.

Waiting for them to move on, he saw not one, but both of the other boys hold her hands. Frowning, he rubbed the back of his neck and considered leaving. He had intended to follow them at a distance so he could make sure Shirayuki would be alright. When her bully demanded that she go on a date with him, he had immediately started to worry about her. The thought of her being stuck spending time alone with someone that scared her so much made him feel anxious.

She had her friend with her now. Surely she would be alright if her friend was with her. He would protect her if anything bad happened. The instant that Shinsou decided to go home, he saw her bully forcefully pull her away from her friend. The boy with bright blond hair still walked behind them, but was no longer able to hold her hand.

_I can't let her be alone with them_, Shinsou determined. He waited a few minutes before going down the street next to the one they had gone down. It gave him enough distance to go unnoticed, but he could still keep watch over her through the spaces between the houses.

He knew that she could probably take care of herself if she was pushed hard enough. He had seen her do it before a few times. This did absolutely nothing to make him want to leave her alone. The boy was still worried. Unlike those other times, he had seen the impact that this kid's bullying had on Shirayuki. This bullying was different, too.

As far as he was aware, this boy never actually seemed to make fun of her. He was picking on her in a different way. In a completely immature, grade-school crush way. Shirayuki, having never been treated that way in the past, could only be frightened by it.

_He stole her first kiss_, Shinsou remembered as he watched them. _What would stop him from trying to take something else? _He remembered how Shirayuki had cried. How she had stayed home from school and refused to speak to even her grandmother. It hurt him to see her that way. _I can't let something like that happen again. I'll interrupt if I have to, but I'm not going to let him hurt her that way a second time._

Pushing his hands into his pockets, he saw them turn a corner and hesitated. The boy checked the time on his phone. It was still decently early in the morning; nowhere near lunchtime. _Where is he taking her first?_ He ran a hand through his hair and began to follow them again when enough time had passed. Shinsou began making a mental checklist of things that he needed to get at the store, just in case her date went really sour. Just in case he needed to cheer her up again.

When the three heroes in training entered the cat café, he felt a pang of disappointment. He had enjoyed his time there with Shirayuki the previous day and had hoped that it would become their special place to go. That would be impossible now. As he prepared himself to make a quick trip to the convenience store, he saw some familiar faces approach the café.

_No._ Shinsou's eyes widened and his body tensed as he watched the small group enter the shop. They had gone to middle school with him and Shirayuki. They were some of the cruelest classmates she had been forced to deal with. He had to resist the urge to charge across the street and intervene.

The group emerged a few minutes later, all laughing and one of them calling insults over their shoulder into the café. Insults regarding someone's wide mouth and insinuating a lewd act. It made his blood boil to hear them talk to her that way.

Following the little group with his gaze, he found his irritation growing. Shinsou could only imagine that she was crying in the café now. He let the group get ahead of him a bit before slowly walking behind them. Once they were around the corner, he spoke up. "Hey. Do you remember me?"

**Shift P.O.V**

_Why can't I be stronger? I'm training to become a hero, but I can't stop crying. I'm not even injured._ Shirayuki wiped at her eyes for the fifth time since leaving the café, using her free hand. Her other hand was currently in a tight, warm grip as her "date" led her down the sidewalk.

Behind them, Kaminari was trying to remain optimistic about the day, but it was clear that he was just as upset by what had happened. His cheerful smile had fallen, replaced by a troubled grimace. "Hey, maybe you should just do this another time. She's upset."

"I said I was gonna fix it! Why are you still here anyway?!" Bakugou grumbled. He glared over his shoulder, saw Shirayuki's shining red eyes, and scowled. "Damn it. Just stop crying." This was said in a softer tone as he looked forward again.

"How are you going to fix it? Are you going after those other kids?"

"No! Idiot! I'm going to make her feel better!" The boy surveyed the shops ahead of them. He had mentioned before that he had been planning the date all night, but now he was scrambling to find some way to make her feel better. She was becoming more and more reluctant to be out with him. "Just go home."

"Uh, no. I'm hanging out with Yuki today," Kaminari protested.

Shirayuki was abruptly yanked forward, closer to Bakugou. An arm wrapped around her waist from behind, sparks raising up from around Kaminari's free hand as he pulled her back. "…K-Kaminari-kun…?"

"You want me to zap him?" he asked, smiling.

"This isn't over yet!"

"Look, dude, she's upset. Just let her go home."

The other blond gritted his teeth, glowering at Kaminari as he hugged the girl. It was clear that he was getting frustrated, but at the same time he seemed to be holding back a little. Shoving his hands into his pockets, he lowered his gaze to Shirayuki's face. She looked startled, but the tears had stopped at least. "One more place and I'll take you home. Got it?"

"Just let her go home," Kaminari repeated.

"I'm making a compromise, damn it!"

"…a-alright…" the girl conceded. As Kaminari released her, she gave him an apologetic look. _It's just one more place. Then I can go home. _Bowing deeply to her friend, she muttered a word of thanks. "…you can go home…everything will be fine…I'll…send you a message when I'm home…"

While he was reluctant to leave her alone with Bakugou, he respected her wishes. He went his own way and they went theirs. Bakugou held onto her hand, but not as roughly this time. "Why was that idiot with you anyway?"

"…we're friends…he was…w-worried about me…"

"Whatever. Okay, we're here." He saw her lift her head and smirked when the girl's eyes widened. The pet store was a sure way to make her cheer up. He knew she loved cats so she was bound to love this place. "I need to get stuff for Slasher so you're gonna help me get supplies."

Shirayuki's pulse quickened as she began to smile. She could almost forget all of the terrible things that her former classmates had said in the café. Now she took the lead, guiding Bakugou to the cat section. She helped him pick out most of the supplies that he would need. "…you…named him Slasher…?"

He was looking at a selection of collars and scowled, a little embarrassed. "So what?! You think he should have some _cutesy_ name or something?"

"…no…I actually…kind of like it…" Behind her mask, she smiled to herself. As scary as her classmate was, the fact that he had named the kitten and was willing to put forth so much effort to take care of it made her dislike him a little less. She remembered how gentle he had been with the kitten when he first met it and could only imagine how pampered that kitten was going to be.

Bakugou was still looking at collars when he saw her move away from his side. He turned, prepared to demand to know where she was going, when he spotted the adoptable cats on display. The boy saw her walk up to one of the cages and talk softly to the cat inside. He felt heat rush to his face and he looked away when she turned toward him again. "What're you doing? You have cats at home."

"…these ones…need extra love…" Shirayuki put a hand up to the bars and the cat booped their little pink nose against her fingertips. A giggle escaped her and she cooed to the cat, telling it that it was cute. Reassuring it that it would find a good home soon.

She was ready to go back to her house after the pet store, but the tight grip on her hand refused to let her. "…Bakugou-kun…?"

"You're coming with me to take these to my place and then I'll walk you home. That's what we're doing, got it?" He felt her tense up and scowled again. "I'll buy you food on the way there."

"…o-okay…?"

Nothing could have prepared Shirayuki for what awaited her. She suspected that he thought his parents were out because when they were greeted by his dad, the boy immediately looked confused and irritated. The greeting drew his mother out of another room and Shirayuki's eyes widened when the woman spoke.

"Katsuki, you little brat! You didn't say you had a girlfriend! What's her name?" His mother grinned down at her as she ruffled the boy's hair.

Shirayuki bowed, a blush rising to her cheeks. "…m-my name is Shirayuki Ume…it's nice to m-meet you, but…um…"

"Shut up, you old hag! We're going to my room! Move it!" His face was red as he pulled the girl along behind him before his mother could say anything else.

Her anxiety was high from meeting his parents and from the misunderstanding about their relationship, but it started to melt away when she saw his room. Strewn around the floor were small, improvised cat toys and a makeshift cat bed made of shirts. The little black kitten itself was curled up on his pillow and gave a mew of greeting when they arrived.

The boy was scowling as he closed his door, but when he saw her immediately go over to pet the kitten, he started to calm down. "So damn annoying."

"…it's…okay…um…your parents…seem nice…" It was a bit awkward. Shirayuki had spent years now without her own parents and, having never really had friends before, this was the first time she was introduced to someone's parents.

He sat on the edge of the bed next to her, watching her pet the kitten. It was rubbing its soft little face against her fingers, purring. The way that her eyes crinkled at the corners showed that the girl was smiling. Now was when he chose to make his move. He gripped her free hand and when she looked over, he felt his face getting hot, but he pushed past his nervousness. "Go out with me."


	23. Chapter 23

NeonHorizon: You're going to love this ^_^ I promise!

* * *

_I…can't._ Shirayuki walked to school with her head down, avoiding eye contact with everyone and biting her lip behind her mask. _I have to. _She momentarily lifted her gaze, but quickly lowered it once more. On this day, she was more self-conscious than ever before.

The USJ incident was still being talked about. After all, it had only been a few days since the villain attack. All of the students in 1-A were being looked at differently now, but she felt more on edge than anyone. No one else in her class had accidentally killed a villain. She was the only one with blood on her hands.

Of course, she had more than just that to worry about. She could feel a cold sweat forming on her skin as they drew closer to the school, her pulse racing. The previous day, she had been asked out by her grumpy, blond classmate. He let her leave without giving him an answer, but she knew that he would want one when she got to the classroom.

Shinsou looked down at the girl walking beside him and reached over to gently take her hand in his. "Are you okay?"

"…I'm…fine…" Feeling his fingers lace with hers, she flushed pink and let her eyes meet his. The boy's calm, indigo gaze made her feel better and she moved a little closer to him. "…n-nervous…" she confessed.

"If anyone bothers you today, tell me. I don't want you to feel bad, alright?" He paused in his steps and put his free hand on her shoulder. Leaning down close to her, he saw the warm hue of her cheeks and half-smiled. "We're walking home together?"

"…y-yes…I'll…meet you at the front gate…" Shirayuki tensed when he reached to tuck a lock of dark violet hair behind her ear, letting him see her face better. Even this simple gesture made her heart feel fluttery. When his fingertips gently brushed over her cheekbone, she felt an eruption of almost giddiness within her. "…do you…want to eat d-dinner at my house…tonight…?"

"Alright." He leaned down further, his forehead briefly resting against hers before he brought her into his warm embrace. Feeling her delicate frame tucked to his chest, so fragile within his arms, he smiled. "Everything will be okay," Shinsou assured her. "I'll see you later."

"…okay…" She was still apprehensive about going to class, but she was afraid of the alternative. Something told her that if she skipped class, only bad things would happen. She would not be able to go home because then her grandmother would be disappointed. So she would need to go somewhere else. Even then, she feared how her teacher would react to a student skipping class. Aizawa scared her. Even if he was injured, in the hospital, he would be informed that a student from his class had skipped school and then there would be consequences. Possibly expulsion.

Shirayuki was pretty early. Only a few other students were in the classroom when she arrived. Quickly going to her desk, she tried to locate a book from her bag to distract herself until class started. She bowed her head to try to hide behind her hair, listening as more and more of her classmates arrived.

_Everything will be okay_, she told herself. _Kittens. Warm cookies. Hot chocolate. Flowers. Sunshine. _The girl tensed, hearing her friends all seem to enter the classroom together. _Friends. Books. Stuffed animals. Cats. Fluffy, cute cats._ She gripped her book harder, her teeth closing on her lower lip and chewing anxiously. The girl's stomach began to do flips.

"Yuki! Hey, so how was the rest of your date?" Kaminari approached her desk with an inquisitive look.

"You had a _date_?" Ashido glanced over at Kirishima, who immediately turned pink and lifted his hands in defense.

"Not me; someone else!" he protested. "I mean, it's not like I don't like Yuki!"

"So who was it?" the pink-haired girl asked, turning back to Shirayuki.

At that same time, the masked girl noticed from her peripheral that someone was at the edge of the small group of friends. Their eyes briefly flitted to hers and then away as they remained silent. _What…is he…?_ Shirayuki was so distracted that she failed to notice Bakugou's approach until it was too late.

A book thudded against her desk in front of her and she jolted in her seat. "…uh…?!" She glanced down to it and then back to Bakugou, who was scowling down at her from her left. "…B-Bakugou-kun…um…I haven't…"

"I finished the book you gave me," he interrupted. "So here it is. Give me another one."

"…oh…um…o-okay…just a second…" She leaned down to rummage through her bag, only vaguely aware of how her three friends were now looking at him. _Which book? Scottish folklore…is a good one. _Offering it to him, she saw him briefly skim the cover and smirk. "…just…return it when you're done…please…"

"Better be a good one, Ume."

_He didn't ask. About the question yesterday. He didn't even say anything. Maybe he forgot? Then I wouldn't have to worry about turning him down. But what if I just imagined that part?_ Shirayuki looked to her friends, who were more than happy to start discussing something else.

"There's a cat café?! That sounds _adorable_!" Ashido exclaimed. "We should go together, Yuki-chan. I'm the only one that hasn't been there."

"…that…sounds fun…what day…?"

"Maybe we could go after school! Wait. No, Sunday works better for you, right? I know you like to walk home with that boy from class C." Ashido beamed when she saw Shirayuki blush behind her mask. "You two make such a cute couple."

"Shut up!" The growl came from behind Shirayuki and made her flinch. "I'm trying to read! Go sit down!"

The masked girl slouched in her seat as the others dispersed, but she could feel him staring at her. Toying with the hairband on her wrist, she half-closed her eyes. _Sunshine. Flowers. Kittens. Books. Shinsou. Everything will be alright._ Her blush intensified when she realized that she had included Shinsou in her "happy list" and smiled to herself. _Shinsou…makes me happy._

At lunch time, Shirayuki was the first in her group to get their food and sit at a table. She promised to save some seats for them, but she secretly hoped that her indigo-haired friend would join her. The others would doubtless want to talk about the USJ incident or the upcoming sports festival. She just wanted to enjoy the break between classes.

While it had not been reported that she had accidentally killed a villain, it was not a total secret. Kirishima and Bakugou knew, of course. They had been there. Kirishima's life had been threatened and she had acted to defend him. Bakugou was the one that went up to the body and checked for a pulse. All Might and the principal were also aware of the inadvertent manslaughter as well. Even with so few people knowing, she still felt as if it was written on her face.

A tray was set down on the table as someone plopped into the chair next to hers. "Stop spacing off like that. Someone's gonna think you want them to sit with you," a familiar voice growled.

Her gaze shifted from the empty seat across the table to the boy seated beside her. "…Bakugou-kun…?"

"Are you gonna eat or not? They're not gonna care if you start without them," he grumbled.

"…that seat…I was saving seats for…"

"I'm sitting here! Where else would I sit?!" His eyes narrowed on hers and he saw the puzzled look in her eyes. "What?"

"…nothing…" She hesitantly removed her mask and lifted a bit of food to her mouth. As she chewed, she kept her head bowed to hide her mouth from view behind her hair. _He's sitting next to me. Why? _The girl was soon joined by her friends, who seemed a little confused by Bakugou's presence, but said nothing.

Ashido was asking the other two questions about the cat café and Shirayuki could not help smiling. When she remembered the calm, peaceful atmosphere of the café itself, it comforted her. It really was a place that she enjoyed. As she was thinking about going there with Ashido, the dark-haired girl felt a hand grip hers beneath the table. Fingers laced with hers and squeezed, making her subtly glance over. Bakugou's expression was his normal grouchy one as he continued to eat with his other hand as if nothing was amiss.

_He's…holding my hand…?_ She tried to pull free, but he held tightly. _Why is he holding my hand? Why?_ The girl was trying very hard to not draw attention to what was happening, but it was soon obvious to the others.

"Hey, Bakugou, what's going on over there?" Kaminari spoke up first.

"Oh, hey! You wanted to hold hands? Here we go!" Kirishima grabbed Bakugou's other hand, grinning and displaying his sharp teeth. "Whoa! Your hands are super warm, dude!"

"Let go of my hand! What the hell do you think you're doing?!" the blond snapped, trying to get his hand free.

"Huh? I thought you wanted to hold hands. You're holding _Yuki's_ hand."

"I'm holding Ume's hand because we're going out!"

"…we're not…I-I never…gave you an answer…" she argued, trying to get free again. Her hand finally slid out of his and she quickly leaned away from him.

The timing was impeccable. At that same moment, as she leaned away from Bakugou, another student was walking past with a half-empty ramen bowl on their tray. They appeared to stumble as they went behind Bakugou and room temperature broth spilled all over the boy. The other student tilted their head at the fuming blond, but their expression was neutral. "Oh. Sorry," Shinsou half-heartedly apologized. "I tripped."

"You bastard! You did that on purpose!"

Shinsou sighed and set down his tray on the other side of Shirayuki's. "You're right. I did. But you deserved it." He wrapped an arm around the dark-haired girl from behind in a protective manner. "I'm getting sick of you bullying Shirayuki. She's too nice to get back at you, but I can do it for her."

The girl flushed red and moved to grab her mask, wanting to hide her embarrassment behind it. To her surprise, the indigo-haired boy picked it up and let it dangle from a finger. "…Shinsou…?"

"Come sit with me. I'll find us some seats where you can actually enjoy your food." He left his tray and now empty ramen bowl, grabbing her tray for her. When she hesitated to follow him, he raised an eyebrow and frowned. "Are you coming?"

"…ah…y-yes…just a second…" Turning to Ashido, Kaminari, and Kirishima, she bowed slightly. "…I'll…see you in class…I'm sorry…"

Ashido grinned. "Go on! Have fun, lovebirds!"

Shinsou's mouth quirked into a half-smile. "We will."


	24. Chapter 24

NeonHorizon: A quick shout out to animefairy299 again for her art of Shirayuki Ume! I absolutely adore it ^_^ I'm leaving a link so you can check out her awesome artwork, happy readers: yukio-yui-chan. And in case, for whatever reason, the link doesn't work. She's Yukio-Yui-chan on deviantart. Now here's a chapter where things amp up a little!

* * *

Shinsou had never meant to actually interfere. He knew that she wanted to show that she was strong. She wanted to prove to herself that she had what it takes to be a hero. If he had given her a little time, he was sure that she would have stood up for herself. However, when he heard what that boy said, he found himself acting without a second thought.

_They're not going out._ Leaning his chin into his hand, Shinsou watched the girl meekly pick at her food. She was silent, but occasionally glanced over at him. "Sorry. I didn't mean to embarrass you."

"…n-no…it's…okay…" Her voice was just barely above a whisper as she spoke, keeping her head down to hide her mouth from the people around them. "…Bakugou-kun…was making me nervous…"

"Are you okay?" He saw her nod, but the look on her face said otherwise. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes drifting to her hand as she gripped her chopsticks tighter. When she bit her lip, Shinsou knew that she had more to say, but she was afraid of upsetting him. "Shirayuki, you can tell me that I messed up. I shouldn't have interfered. I know you can take care of yourself-"

"So **_why_** **_do it_**?" Uttering these words so boldly seemed to take all of her courage. She set her chopsticks down, her meal only half-finished, and she slipped her mask on over her mouth and nose once more. "…I'm…done eating so…I'm going back to my classroom…"

"Wait. Let me walk with you," he said, standing as she did.

"…no…I just…want to be alone…please…"

Shinsou lingered at the table after she left, staring down at her leftovers. A sigh left him as he carried the tray to clear her place. In all of the years that he had known her, Shinsou had never seen her truly get angry.

There were times when she lashed out in middle school or elementary school, but that was when she had been bullied and she could take no more. That was sadness and desperation. This was something else entirely. He had seen something in her eyes before she left the table. Guilt and disappointment gnawed at his gut as he walked toward the exit.

As he approached the doorway, Shinsou felt a furious gaze penetrating his back. The boy paused in his steps and looked over his shoulder, casually meeting the glower of a particular ash blond seated across the room at a table. He could blame that boy for Shirayuki's anger. After all, it was that boy's actions that caused Shinsou to interfere. That would be unfair though.

Walking down the hall, he promised himself that he would give her some space. As badly as he wanted to check on her, that would be the worst thing that he could do. With time, she might forgive him. Or her anger might escalate. He had never seen her angry before so he really had no clue which way this could go.

_I need to make it up to her_, he determined as he came to a window. Staring out at the sunny afternoon, he slipped his hands into his pockets and frowned. _What can I do that would make her happy?_

**Shift P.O.V**

"Yuki? Are you okay?" Ashido peeked into the room and found her classmate slouching at her desk with a book open in front of her.

"…yes…I'm sorry…um…I just…want to read…so I can calm down…" Shirayuki clutched her book tightly, frowning behind her mask. Chewing on her lower lip, she tried to focus on the words printed before her, but it was difficult.

This emotion was something she was not used to. Her pulse pounding, not with excitement or fear, but with anger. She wanted to scream. She wanted to kick something or release a calorie blast. "…I…haven't been this _angry_…since my father died…" she muttered, keeping her head bowed.

Ashido crossed the room and grabbed Hagakure's seat, sitting in it sideways so she could look at Shirayuki. "I can't believe he really dumped that ramen broth on Bakugou! And the whole time he had that bored look on his face!"

"…it's…his natural expression…"

"You've known him since middle school, right?" The pink-haired girl leaned forward a little, peering down at the illustration on one of the pages that were displayed. Her friend nodded in silent answer. "I think it's cute though; you can tell he really likes you. His heart was in the right place, but you wanted to handle it yourself, didn't you?"

"…a hero should be able to stand up for themselves…"

"Right, but you know you're still in training, Yuki. So, like, yeah, you're training in combat and all that, but you're training to get _bolder_, too! You're really quiet. Like, _super_ quiet. I think I've heard Todoroki talk more than you have! And those first few days, you didn't even talk to anyone except to introduce yourself!"

Ashido saw Shirayuki's crimson eyes lift from the page. "See, so, you're still in training in a _lot_ of ways. Like everyone else. It's okay if you can't do everything yet; it's a work in progress! And your friend probably just saw you looking upset and wanted to help you. I bet he wasn't even thinking about it. He probably heard Bakugou say that thing about you going out and he got jealous and dumped the broth on him."

The dark-haired girl gave a slow nod of understanding. "…but…jealous…?"

Her friend grinned. "He _likes_ you! Like, _you know_! _Like_ likes you!"

Behind her mask, Shirayuki's cheeks started to burn with a blush. "…you think that he…likes me so much…he would get jealous…?"

"Of course he does! He walks you to and from school every day, right? And I've seen the way he looks at you. It's freakin' _adorable_! It's obvious that he really, really likes you, Yuki!"

"…he…did _say_ that he likes me…"

"So do you like him back?"

"…ah…y-yes, of course…he's…he makes me really happy…" Seeing Ashido's grin made Shirayuki begin to smile. "…what…?"

Her friend reached over, lowering the book and holding up a pen. "You like him and he likes you. So! The next step is asking him out, Yuki! And the best way for you to do that is with a note. We'll just make it a simple one, okay? It'll say "Will you go out with me?" and it'll have a space for his answer."

The girl's stomach began to do flips. "…oh…um…I-I couldn't…do something that bold…and…if he said "no"…"

"But he won't!" Ashido sighed as Kirishima and Kaminari entered the room. "Guys, help me out here! I'm trying to tell her that she should ask that guy out!"

"Huh? But Bakugou said-" Kirishima was cut off by a sharp look from the pink-haired girl. "I don't really think-"

"I'll help!" Kaminari grinned and perched on the desk next to Shirayuki's. "You like him, right, Yuki?"

Shirayuki nodded, her blush glowing brighter. Kirishima grudgingly walked over to the group and leaned against the wall beside Shirayuki's desk, his hands in his pockets and head turned to the side. "…um…where's…Bakugou-kun…?"

"Bathroom," Kaminari helpfully answered. "Hey, you should put a little heart on this note. It would be really cute."

"Why don't you just wait a little? How long have you been friends with that guy?" Kirishima spoke up, frowning. He leaned down a little at Shirayuki's side, looking at the card. It already had her neat handwriting spelling out "Will you go out with me?" The redhead rubbed the back of his neck and looked away when the dark-haired girl shifted her gaze to him.

"Why didn't you want to ask him out anyway? You guys look pretty close." Kaminari looked from the blushing Shirayuki to Ashido.

"She's afraid he's going to say "no"."

"Who'd say "no"?" Kirishima was glad when Bakugou showed up because then all eyes shifted from him to the other boy. "Hey, you didn't fall in?" he joked.

"What the hell is _that_ supposed to mean?!" Their grouchy classmate set his sights on Shirayuki as he began to trudge across the classroom to his desk. "Hey! That stupid extra got my shirt wet, Ume. What're you gonna do about it?"

The girl quickly stuffed the note into her bag before he could see it and bowed her head once more. "…I'm sorry…"

He grabbed her upper arm, trying to get her to turn to look at him. "So what're you gonna do about it?"

"…I…didn't do anything…" she protested, her voice quiet while her tone was firm. There was clearly anger in his eyes as he looked down at her, but a spark of something else as well. Amusement. Excitement. She met this with her own anger and as much courage as she could muster. "…Bakugou-kun…I don't owe you…"

The smirk that curved his lips left her confused, but he released her arm and leaned back in his seat. "Fine. You can make it up to me later anyway."

"Dude, just let it go." Kirishima turned away and trudged to his own desk, Kaminari following him.

Ashido shook her head. "Look, she's allowed to like another guy," she stated, crossing her arms. "You're _not_ going out. So just chill."

Shirayuki did not want to be left alone with him after this, but Ashido was already walking to her desk. Slouching a little, the dark-haired girl began to anxiously fidget with the hairband on her wrist. She could feel his gaze on her and knew that if she looked his way, he would be glaring.

"…I'm…sorry about your shirt…but…the best I can offer is this…" she murmured, digging in her bag for wet wipes. They were snatched out of her hand and she heard him tear open the package. "…and…um…Bakugou-kun…I n-never gave you an answer..."

"What the hell are you talking about, Ume?"

"…yesterday…you asked me out, but I didn't…"

"I wasn't _asking_ anything! Damn it! Are you really that dense?!" He leaned forward in his seat, grabbing her shoulder and making her turn in her seat. "I said "go out with me". It wasn't a damn question, Ume!"

"…what…?" Her eyes widened and the girl jolted away from him when he tried to tug her closer to him. "…no…it doesn't…work that way…"

"If I say we're going out, we're going out! Got it?! I thought you were supposed to be smart." He scowled and wiped at his shirt with a wipe. "Quit looking so damn scared!"

When class began, she clutched her note to Shinsou tightly in her hand. _If he says "yes"…then maybe Bakugou-kun will understand._ She bit her lip and bowed her head. _The date yesterday was fun, but…Shinsou…makes me so happy. Every day._


	25. Chapter 25

Shirayuki had been nervous plenty of times in her life, but none of those previous moments could compare to this. It felt as though her heart would beat right out of her chest. She could imagine it bursting through her ribcage and it made her wince.

Taking a deep breath, she pressed a hand to her chest and tried to calm herself. _Kittens. Warm cookies. Flowers. Everything will be alright._ She tried to reassure herself and work up the courage necessary to hand the note to Shinsou, but her hands were trembling.

The walk to the shoe lockers seemed to take an eternity. She felt as though each step barely moved her along. When she finally approached and saw Shinsou waiting for her near the exit, the girl's stomach twisted into knots. _There he is. Okay, deep breaths. Ashido-chan was right. I just have to give him this note and…_

"Shirayuki."

The girl jumped, the note nearly falling out of her hands. Swiftly catching it, she released a quiet sigh of relief from behind her mask and turned to look over her shoulder. Crimson eyes widened as they met a blue eye and a brown eye. "…oh…um…T-Todoroki-kun…did you…n-need something…?"

He looked down at the note in her hands and raised an eyebrow before lifting his gaze back to hers. A hand raised to adjust the strap of his bag and he took a step closer. "I heard that you had something at your house that you're trying to find a home for."

"…ah…th-the kittens…?" Her voice was a hushed whisper as she spoke, still alarmed that he was speaking to her. She and Todoroki had never interacted before. They had never even made eye contact.

"Yes. Those. I overheard that there was one left." Seeing her give a small nod of confirmation, he shifted his gaze from hers and continued. "I want to meet her," he stated bluntly.

"…oh…y-you're…interested…?" Shirayuki looked over her shoulder and saw Shinsou facing them. His gaze darted away quickly, a hand lifting to rub at the back of his neck. "…c-could you…maybe…w-would tomorrow…be alright…?"

Todoroki had noticed her looking over her shoulder, now looking in that direction as well. Spotting the indigo-haired boy staring at her back, he frowned. "Tomorrow is fine."

"…a-alright…um…th-thank you…for having an interest in…adopting the last kitten…I know you haven't met her yet, but…she's…r-really sweet…and I just know that…i-it's going to be a good match…" She bowed, still gripping her note to Shinsou tightly in her hand.

He lingered there for a moment, almost awkwardly, before finally speaking again. "You live with your grandmother, don't you?"

"…ah…y-yes…I do…"

"A gift then. Alright. Tomorrow after school. I'll meet you back here."

Watching him walk away, Shirayuki was still a little taken aback by the interaction. Todoroki had never struck her as someone that would be interested in something as cutesy as kittens. It made her see him a little bit differently. Especially when she thought of the almost secretive way that he had tried to approach her about it.

"Are we still having dinner?" Shinsou inquired, approaching her.

"…y-yes…sorry about that…" Shirayuki turned toward him, her face burning pink as her palms began to sweat. Adjusting her grip on the note, she contemplated giving it to him then and there, but she was hesitant. If she gave it to him and he opened it, he might try to answer her right away. If he rejected her, dinner would be too much to handle. She could not sit with him and keep herself from crying.

"So what was that about?" He waited to ask this after they were already on their way to her house. The tone of his voice made it clear that Shinsou was hesitant to ask.

The girl had her head down as they walked so she missed the concerned frown that he displayed. "…my classmate…he wants to meet the last kitten and…he might adopt her…"

A silence fell between them for a moment as they approached the train station. "That's good. I wish I could take her."

The ride to their neighborhood was filled with an odd tension. The boy clearly had something that he wanted to say, but he was holding back. The girl kept fidgeting with the hairband around her wrist and chewing her lower lip behind her mask. It was only as they were walking toward her house that Shinsou finally spoke up once more.

"Shirayuki." He waited for her to look up at him before continuing. "I should apologize for what I did at lunch. I know how you feel and I ignored your feelings when I reacted that way. But…it's important that you know how I feel, too."

Her stomach felt like it was dropping and she bowed her head again. A sense of dread started to form, making her tremble. "…Shinsou…?"

His hand closed around her upper arm, stopping her in her tracks. The girl closed her eyes tightly, bringing a frown to his face. "I don't like seeing people pick on you," he stated. "I know that you want to stand up for yourself, but if I see someone bullying you, I'm not just going to let it happen."

Her lips curled into a timid smile and she decided to make a bold move. Both arms wrapped around him, drawing him into a hug. Thankfully, he was soon hugging back. "…thank you…"

Arriving at her house, her grandmother greeted the two with a big smile and was more than happy to make dinner for three instead of just herself and Shirayuki. As she prepared the meal, the girl sat in the sitting room with Shinsou, among her multiple cats. Holding the kitten, she felt all of the dread and terribleness from earlier that day fading away. She was sitting with her crush, holding a fluffy ball of happiness that would, hopefully, soon have a home.

**Shift P.O.V**

He really liked to see her this happy. Without her mask on, he was able to see her lips curved into a wide smile as she rubbed behind the kitten's ears. She was sitting beside him on the couch and he was tempted to put his arm around her. Shirayuki just looked too cute when she was like this. He wanted her to always feel this level of joy.

_Can I make her this happy every day?_ This thought almost made him frown. He had not meant for it to pop into his head, but it had. They were only in high school. It was such a strange thing to think about. Whether or not he could make her happy every day was something that he could consider if they were perhaps third-year students or even older than that.

Eating dinner with her and her grandmother was pleasant. The old woman spoke a lot more than the girl did. She asked them both about school and talked about how exciting it was for Shirayuki to take part in UA's sports festival.

"You know, Ume's father did _terrible_ at the sports festival when he was in school," she explained. "He was so funny to watch though! He never took it seriously and just wanted to make friends with everyone in the other classes!"

Shirayuki's face was turning pink with embarrassment and bowed her head. "…but…he still became a hero…"

"That's right! He did terrible at the sports festival, but he was such a people person! He could talk to just about anyone and when he showed off his skills seriously, he had his pick of the local hero agencies!"

Shinsou finished chewing a bite of meat and decided to join the conversation. "He sounds like an interesting person."

"Oh, he was!" The old woman sighed and beamed at him from across the table. "He would have been so proud of Ume, you know. And I'm sure that he would have loved you, Shinsou-kun! You're such a polite boy. Unlike that classmate of Ume's. What was his name?"

"…Bakugou-kun…" the girl replied, head down.

"Yes, that boy! That brazen disrespect he has for others! I've never met such a cheeky young man."

Hearing her grandmother blatantly favor him over Bakugou only boosted Shinsou's good mood. He was feeling a little more confident about the question that he had planned to ask Shirayuki before he went home. All afternoon, the boy had tried to think of how he could make it up to her for upsetting her at lunchtime. The conclusion he came to was to ask her on another date, but this one would be better. It would go more smoothly and he would end the date by actually asking her to be his girlfriend.

As she walked him out to the gate, he caught the flush of pink in her face. _Is she nervous again?_ He had thought that they were close enough now that her anxiety would have decreased a little. "Shirayuki. You're not going out with that bully from your class."

"…n-no…!" She shook her head, fidgeting with her hairband again. "…d-definitely not…we're…not the least bit compatible…"

Shinsou ran a hand through his hair, but smiled ever so slightly. "I didn't think you were, but I overheard what he said and-"

"I have something for you!" she blurted out. Shirayuki bowed and held out a folded piece of paper that she had pulled from her pocket. "…please…don't look at this…until after you get home…okay…?"

"Alright." He accepted it and looked at the folded paper. The ink of her pen was visible through the thin paper so he could already make out a few words.

"…and…um…Sh-Shinsou…I'd…like to walk to school with you…t-tomorrow morning…" The girl's entire face was bright red, the flush spreading to her ears as well. Her mask hid her mouth from view, but it was obvious that she was frowning with nervousness.

"Of course." Pushing the note into his pocket, his free arm slipped around Shirayuki to pull her into a hug. "You're busy tomorrow afternoon, right?" He felt her nod against his chest. As much as he wanted to walk home with her after school the next day, he knew how important it was to her that the last stray kitten find a home. "Alright. I'll see you tomorrow morning then."

When he drew away from her, he saw that her blush seemed to have gotten even redder. She hurried into her house, embarrassed. Shinsou started to walk home, but could not resist looking at the note she had given him.

Unfolding the paper, he saw her delicate handwriting as well as a small, inked heart. The note simply read: **Will you go out with me?** His pulse quickened at the sight of this question and a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. Heat rushed to his face. _I need to find a pen._


	26. Chapter 26

Waiting near the gate, he tried to fight down the butterflies in his stomach. The excitement had begun when he first received the note from her. When he got home, he looked for a pen right away and then tried to think of the best way to respond to her question.

Shinsou looked down at the folded piece of paper in his hand and his mouth curled into a smile. He had been so worried that she was angry with him after he stood up for her. This had to mean that she forgave him.

"Have a good day at school, Ume, Shinsou!"

He looked up from the note and saw her grandmother waving from the doorstep as Shirayuki approached him. Lifting a hand, he gave the old woman a wave in response. _When should I give her the note? I feel like I should have brought a gift or something._ Shinsou glanced over to the girl, curious to see if she would ask about the note.

Shirayuki was wearing a simple black face mask this time rather than a patterned one. Her gaze was focused on the ground as she walked along beside him, her delicate hands gripping tightly to the strap of her bag. "…g-good morning…" she quietly greeted him. A warm hue rose to her cheeks when she spoke and her eyes momentarily lifted to meet his.

"Morning." The boy held the note tightly in his hand as he once again considered when he should give it to her. He knew that one of her classmates was going to walk home with her so that would be the worst time to give her the note. Shinsou was unsure if he could wait until lunchtime to do it.

"…after school…um…d-do you still want to walk with me…?"

He pushed the note into his pocket and rubbed the back of his neck, heart racing. Despite his excitement, Shinsou still managed to maintain a calm expression on his face. "I thought your classmate was going home with you."

She bowed her head again, anxiously toying with the strap of her bag now. "…he is, but…I think it would still be okay…if you walk with us…"

A glance over made his heart skip a beat. He reached over, gently taking her hand in his and feeling her lace her fingers with his. "I read your note." From the corner of his eye, he saw her face turning bright red. The grip on his hand tightened and he could feel her pulse racing just as fast as his.

"…s-sorry…that was…p-probably too forward of me…to ask something like that…i-in the shows I watch…with my grandmother…th-the boy always asks the girl out and…th-that was probably wrong of me to ask and…um…"

He turned to her, his free hand lightly resting against her cheek for a moment. The girl's eyes widened, crimson glimmering with tears of embarrassment. Shinsou carefully slid her mask down and leaned in closer, pressing his lips against hers. His hand slid to her hair, very gently running his fingers through the dark violet locks and feeling them glide softly over his skin. When he broke the kiss, he looked down at her for a moment and wiped away her tears. "Sorry. Was that too much?"

"…d-does that mean…you're not…mad…?"

Smiling down at her, he shook his head. "If anyone should be mad, it's you. I should've asked you after I said that I liked you," he admitted. "But, anyway, my answer is "yes"."

Her eyes widened once more as she stared up at him. "…y-yes…?" Her free hand quickly covered her lips as she shifted her gaze away. "…you…you're saying yes…and…and that means that you…want to…"

"I want you to be my girlfriend," the boy stated simply. When he saw her lips curl into a wide smile, he could not stop himself from drawing her against his chest in a hug. "I'm really glad that you asked me out."

**Shift P.O.V**

"So what did he say?!"

Shirayuki jumped a little when Ashido appeared next to her desk. "…y-you…um…you scared me, Ashido-chan…"

"Sorry. I'm just so excited! So he answered you, right? Wait a second!" The pink-haired girl leaned in kind of close and began to grin. "Yuki, you're smiling, aren't you?"

She bowed her head, letting her dark violet hair fall around her face to try to hide the intense way that she was blushing. "…I…um…w-well…it went…really well…" she admitted, pulling her mask down a little.

Ashido saw her smile and brightened even more. "Yuki! You look so cute when you smile! You shouldn't cover your face so much; you're adorable!"

"…I'm…not brave enough for that…"

"So he said "yes"?" The quiet girl nodded and put her mask back up. "So you're dating. Like boyfriend and girlfriend. I'm so happy for you, Yuki!" Ashido grabbed her in a hug and was surprised to feel Shirayuki hug back. "Awww! Is that a Yuki hug?"

"…you…helped me get the courage to ask him…and…helped me get over being mad…" Shirayuki let go and leaned down to her bag, rummaging for a small box. "…um…I-I actually…made you something…to thank you for your help…"

Ashido accepted the box and frowned. "Yuki, you didn't have to do this. I'm just happy that you're happy."

_This is friendship. Being happy for someone else that's happy._ Shirayuki smiled again behind the mask. _I like to see her happy, too._

"Oh, cool! What'd you get?" Kaminari peered over Ashido's shoulder as the girl opened the box. "Whoa! Those cookies look awesome! Yuki, did you make these yourself?"

"What's going on?" Kirishima approached the three friends, raising an eyebrow. "Oh. Bakugou's not here yet?"

"Not yet. Look at these cookies that Yuki made."

"…a-actually…um…I made some for…Kaminari-kun and Kirishima-kun, too…" Shirayuki pulled two more little boxes out of her bag and offered them.

Kirishima accepted his gift from her, but frowned. Turning his head to the side, he rubbed the back of his neck. "Thanks. They look pretty good. So you really gave that note to that guy from 1-C?"

Ashido nodded, grinning. "They're official now! Isn't that great?"

"Yeah…really great." He popped a cookie into his mouth and finally looked at Shirayuki again. "Hey. So you're really sure about that? Don't you think it's a little soon? We're just first years."

"What the hell are you doing?" Bakugou glared at the four friends as he approached. "Why do you all have boxes?"

"Yuki gave us cookies," Kaminari replied, holding one up. "Don't they look cool? And you can taste love in every bite!" He laughed, seeing Shirayuki's face turn pink.

"Where's my box?"

The girl tensed and slouched in her seat. "…I-I didn't…make enough…"

"Whatever. You'll make me something better then, right?"

Class started and Shirayuki could feel him practically staring a hole through the back of her head. Slouching in her seat, the girl refused to let him sour her mood. Shinsou had said "yes" to going out with her. Shirayuki's courage had paid off and now she was his girlfriend. Just thinking about it made her smile.

At lunchtime, she walked with her group of friends. Ashido grinned when she saw the girl look around the cafeteria for Shinsou. "You want to eat with your boyfriend, right?"

"…I…I don't see him…"

"He's probably eating with people from his class," Kirishima pointed out. "Yuki, maybe you should hold off on that kind of stuff. You know, until after the sports festival at least."

Remembering the challenge that Shinsou had basically issued to her class, she frowned. "…but we…just started going out…"

"I know you like him, but there's a rivalry here, okay? Can't you just wait a little?"

"Oh, there he is!" Kaminari waved at the indigo-haired boy from across the cafeteria. Shinsou did not wave back at him. "Come on, Yuki; I'll walk with you."

She was glad for the company, but at the same time she was a little puzzled. Normally, he would stay close to Kirishima and Ashido so for him to split away from them was a bit odd. "…thank you…"

"No problem!" He grinned down at her, but it soon faded into a frown as he saw her glance over her shoulder at their other two friends. "Hey, don't worry about what Kirishima said, okay?"

"…is he…angry with me…?" Shirayuki nervously toyed with the hem of her blazer sleeve, glancing back again just in time to see Bakugou appear. _Please don't come over here. Please._

"I wouldn't say he's "angry". Maybe a little bit jealous?"

"…jealous…?"

"Hey, so those cookies you made. They're pretty good. Did your grandma help you with those or did you make them all by yourself? They're really pro."

She tilted her head slightly at the shift of the conversation, but was more than happy to change the subject. "…by myself…it's…an older recipe…but…I made some changes…"

Shirayuki promised to meet up with her friends again after lunch and went with Shinsou to get her meal. As she sat down to eat, she found herself thinking about that morning. Remembering that moment when Shinsou told her "yes", she felt her heart start to race all over again. She smiled, her cheeks burning with a blush as she tried to hide her mouth behind her hand.

Across the table, he saw this and a faint pinkish hue rose to his face as well. "Are you training this afternoon?" His gaze settled on the average-sized portion of food sitting in front of her.

"…n-no…" Summoning forth some courage, Shirayuki lifted her eyes to his and gripped her chopsticks tighter. _We're going out. I should ask him if he wants to go on a date. Shinsou…took me on a date and he planned everything. I should do something like that for him, too. I want him to know how happy he makes me feel. I want to make him as happy as he makes me._

"Are you doing anything on Sunday?"

"…ah…n-no…but…um…I-I was going to ask if…you want to…g-go somewhere…"

"Like a date?"

"…like a date…" she agreed, her face red.

Half-smiling, he gave her a nod. "Yeah. I'd like that."


	27. Chapter 27

NeonHorizon: Fun fact! I also write a fanfic involving Shigaraki and I've been working on that for waaaay longer than Quiet Outburst. So every time I start to write "Shirayuki", I sometimes mess up and write "Shigaraki" out of habit. So...you almost ended up with a really ridiculous new chapter. I'm tired and the first half of this accidentally had "Shigaraki" instead of "Shirayuki". Heheheh! Pretty lucky that I proofread it, right?

* * *

"…o-okay…um…so this…is the last k-kitten…" Shirayuki had found the fluffy bundle of pure joy cuddling with her dragon plush on her bed after leaving her classmate in the sitting room. Even after making friends, even getting a boyfriend, she was still nervous about interacting with other people.

She was surprised that Todoroki was interested in the cat. The other cats seemed to like him, but he had acted coldly thus far. Apprehension made her stomach twist into knots as she entered the room, but when she saw his eyes she realized that there was absolutely no reason to be worried.

His mouth was still settled in its serious, straight line, but the boy's mismatched eyes were wide and she could swear that they were sparkling. The gentleness with which he accepted the kitten and the incredibly careful way that he settled it on his lap amazed her. "This one is a girl?"

"…yes, um….she's around…th-three months old…we think…and…she's n-not really as…playful as her brothers were so…they got picked first…" She watched him delicately run his fingertips over the cat's striped, silver fur and smiled behind her mask. Shirayuki was always happy to find a fellow cat lover.

The kitten rubbed her cheek against his fingers, purring loudly. The boy's gaze softened and his lips gradually drew into a small smile. "I like her."

Shirayuki put a hand over her mask, over her mouth, when she saw the kitten move. The tiny front paws braced against her classmate's chest and the feline leaned up to tap her little nose to his. In that one adorable moment, she felt like her heart was melting in her chest. _So…cute!_

She had noticed it when he first came into her home, of course. Todoroki seemed to really have an affinity for cats. The second that he was in the house, the various cats came up to him to greet him and a few even followed the boy into the sitting room to perch near him on the couch. Even now, there were two down beside his left leg, taking turns rubbing against his shin.

"The other kittens were all adopted?" he asked, a note of sadness in his voice. He was petting the kitten's back, listening to her purr.

"…y-yes…um…Bakugou-kun, Yaoyorozu-san, and…Midoriya-kun…they gave the other kittens homes…"

Staring down into the kitten's bright green eyes, his smile grew somewhat melancholic. "I was hoping that I wouldn't like her so much…" he confessed.

"The tea's ready!" Shirayuki's grandmother paused in the doorway with a tray of tea and cake, a troubled frown forming on her face. "Oh? What's wrong, young man? I've never seen someone look so sad with a kitten on their lap!"

"…Grandma…" The girl bowed her head, a little embarrassed by her grandmother worrying over her classmate. She could see it through the curtain of her dark violet hair. The boy's smile had faded completely now and was replaced by disappointment. _What is it?_

The old woman sat down on Shirayuki's other side and reached across to pat him on the shoulder. "It's alright, young man. What did you say your name was?"

"Todoroki Shouto."

Her eyes widened a bit. "Oh…_oh_! I see! Your father is…huh. Well. That's…just a strange coincidence…" The woman slowly drew her hand back, her expression twisting into one of puzzlement and almost concern. "I see. Well now! But what's the problem, Todoroki-kun?"

_Why did Grandma react that way to his name?_ Shirayuki pushed her hair behind her ear and glanced from her grandmother to the boy at her left. The kitten had now curled up on his lap and yawned rather cutely.

"I like her a lot, but I don't think that I can take her home right now."

The elderly woman beamed and shook her head. "Well, never fear, young man! We'll keep her here until you can take her home. You can come visit her whenever you want."

The boy stared at her for a long moment, looking past his classmate. "Thank you, Shirayuki-san." He gave a small, seated bow, careful not to disrupt the kitten.

"Of course!" Shirayuki's grandmother served some tea and the cake slices that he had brought with him as a gift, appearing quite pleased with how things were going. It was only when he had gone that her expression shifted to worry. "That poor boy. Dealing with a father like that."

"…Grandma…?" The girl was washing the dishes and looked over at the table to find the old woman seated with a cup of tea, her lips twisted into a grimace.

"Todoroki. Goodness! When I heard that name, I just about fainted! I hadn't heard that name in a long time, Ume! I should have known when I saw him though! The left side of that boy looks so much like that man!"

"…Grandma, do you…know his father…?"

Her expression darkened a little and she lowered her gaze to the cup of tea. "Your father and his father were classmates, Ume."

It seemed like that was the extent of what her grandmother was willing to share with her. Shirayuki went to her room after finishing the dishes and sat on her bed with the kitten. _Todoroki-kun's father…and my father…were classmates? Were they friends? I don't remember my father ever talking about him…_

The next day at school, her classmate acted almost the same as he usually did. Aloof. Quiet. When she greeted him, he gave her a nod. That was the extent of their interaction, but it was slightly friendlier than usual.

"What are you doing on Sunday?"

Shirayuki shook out of her thoughts about the previous night and frowned behind her mask. "…ah…um…I-I actually…have a date planned Sunday night…"

Ashido grinned. "Awww! You have no idea how cute you look when you talk about him, you know. I can see you blushing behind your mask, Yuki."

"It's pretty cute," Kaminari agreed. "Hey, so, did I see you walking with your boyfriend and Todoroki yesterday after school?"

"What? Why were you walking with Todoroki?" Kirishima entered the conversation now, looking mildly concerned.

She bowed her head and fidgeted with the hairband around her wrist. "…um….y-yes…he…wanted to see the last kitten…and, um…w-well he decided that he wanted to adopt her…" The girl chose not to explain about how he was keeping the kitten at her house and planned to just visit her there when he could.

"That's good," Ashido remarked. "But about that date. Do you have anything planned for it?"

They reached the cafeteria and got into a line for food. Shirayuki was planning to eat with her friends since she had been spending less time with them outside of class. "…I don't really…have any plans yet…" she admitted.

The pink-haired girl absolutely beamed at this. "Yuki! You _have_ to let me come over after school, okay?! Let me help you plan everything!"

"…ah…i-it won't…be any trouble…will it…?"

"Are you _kidding_?! I _live_ for stuff like this! Please tell me that I can help you plan your date!"

Shirayuki blushed pink and rubbed her wrist. "…o-okay…I could…really use the help…and I appreciate it…"

Kaminari tilted his head and smiled. "I want in on this, too. It sounds like it's going to be fun. I've got some suggestions."

"…a-alright…I can…pick up some sweets…on the way home…"

Seeing the other three get so excited about hanging out, their red-haired friend started to frown. "Hey, I want to go, too."

"You sure?" Kaminari asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm sure! Let's help Yuki plan the coolest date ever!" he persisted.

"What're you nerds so excited about?"

The group of four turned to look as Bakugou nudged his way into the line behind them, joining the friends with no regard for the other students in line behind him. Shirayuki immediately bowed her head again, chewing her lower lip. Ashido seemed to sense her unease and linked an arm through hers. "We're having a study group after school," the pink-haired girl replied.

Red eyes lowered to where her arm was pressed against Shirayuki's and then lifted to meet the shy girl's timid gaze. Bakugou smirked and forced his way in between Shirayuki and Kaminari. "Next time wait for me, Ume."

"What? She doesn't have to wait around for you," the other girl protested.

"Whatever. It doesn't concern you anyway."

At the lunch table, Shirayuki found herself seated between Bakugou and Kirishima. Ashido had tried her best to get a seat next to her first, but Bakugou was faster and Kirishima told her that he did not want to change seats. At the very least, he would stand up for her if their explosive classmate teased her too much.

Across the table, Ashido and Kaminari brought up the subject of the sports festival. The girl speculated what some of the events might be and was asking the others if they thought they were ready for it. Shirayuki was just lowering her mask to eat when she felt a gentle bump against a leg of her chair. She tensed, but resumed what she was doing.

With the mask hanging loosely around her neck now, she began to eat her bowl of ramen. _The sports festival. All of the classes are going to be there. Shinsou said that they sometimes transfer students to the hero course if they do really well. _Her heart began to race at the thought of him being able to join her class. They would have so much more time together.

"Um, that's too cute, Yuki! Seriously! Your face is so _pink_ right now!" Ashido pointed out, her tone one of excitement.

"…c-cute…?" Shirayuki put a hand over her mouth as she slurped a few stray noodles down, trying to hide her mouth and blush at the same time.

Kaminari grinned. "Yeah, that's pretty cute. Your boyfriend is a lucky guy."

"…ah…I'm…I'm not…c-cute…um…?!" She released a squeak of surprise when her chair abruptly slid to her left and bumped against the side of her friend's chair. A hand reached past her, sliding the girl's tray of food closer, and Kirishima went back to his meal without a word. _What…just happened?_

"Damn right I am! Don't stare at Ume like that, you sparky piece of shit!" The shouting came from her right, where Bakugou was now glowering across the table at Kaminari.

"…oh…"

"Yeah. Sorry if I scared you, Yuki." Kirishima flashed her a brief grin.

"…th-thank you…" She continued her meal, her heart still racing as she listened to Bakugou growl at her two friends across the table.


	28. Chapter 28

Shirayuki had several hours until her date, but her heart was already racing. Sunday seemed to take forever to arrive and now that it had, she was so excited that she thought her heart may really beat out of her chest. Ashido and Kaminari had helped her plan this date. It was going to be a complete surprise to Shinsou and she could not wait to see him.

The girl had woken earlier than usual and, to keep herself busy, she was now meticulously brushing the various cats around the house. _I hope he likes what I have planned. I've never planned a date before. _A wide, joyous smile pulled at her lips as she fondly stroked behind a black cat's ears. _He put so much thought into the date he planned. I just hope that everything goes well._

They were set to meet up that evening to go out to dinner and Shirayuki had a few other things planned. He was supposed to show up at her house a little before dinnertime so they could walk to the restaurant together. She already had an outfit picked out and it was set out on her bed, ready for her date.

_Today will be a good day_, she told herself. _I get to go on a date…with Shinsou. It's definitely going to be a good day! _Shirayuki bowed her head and continued her task as her grandmother emerged from her own room.

"Oh! Ume, you're up early. You don't have plans until tonight."

"…I'm just…I'm excited…about my…date…" she admitted.

The old woman smiled and nodded. "You're a very good match, Ume. Your father would be happy for you." She started to walk to the kitchen, but paused. "Just don't move too quickly, alright? I remember being your age, you know. One minute you're on a date with your sweetheart and the next, you're dropping out of high school with a baby and-"

"…Grandma…?" Shirayuki stared up at the woman, a bit startled by how the woman's advice had taken a turn.

"Oh, well, you know how it is. Back in my day, if you did something like that, you had to take responsibility. Your grandfather and I had to get jobs to support your father and we were barely older than you are now."

"…I…I won't…go that far…" the girl mumbled. She bowed her head again as her grandmother walked to the kitchen and she bit her lower lip. _I didn't know that. I didn't know any of that. Grandma…was really that young when my father was born? And Grandpa…? They dropped out of school to-?_

A knock at the door drew her from her thoughts. Shirayuki set down the cat brush and tilted her head curiously. "…Grandma…?"

"Can you get that, Ume? I've got my hands full."

"…yes…" She pulled her mask up over her mouth and nose before going to answer the door. To her surprise, she found her red-haired classmate standing there with a grin. "…Kirishima…?"

"Hey, Yuki! Are you busy right now?"

"…not really…um…wh-what…brings you here…?"

He pushed his hands into his pockets and eased his way into the house. As he took off his shoes, he looked around and then turned to her with a grin again. "I wanted to hang out a little before your big date. That's tonight, right? Around dinnertime?" He saw her nod and he nodded back. "So what are you doing?"

_It's really early in the morning. He came all this way…this early…just to hang out? Wait. Did he…climb the fence…?_ Shirayuki led him to the sitting room and picked up her cat brush again. "…I was just…grooming the cats…"

"Oh! I want to help! Can I try?" Kirishima seated himself on the couch and accepted the brush from her. A white cat hopped up onto his lap with an expectant meow and he followed Shirayuki's instructions on how to properly brush the feline.

"Oh my! Kirishima-kun, you're here so early! You don't strike me as an early bird," her grandmother remarked, standing in the doorway. "I was just getting breakfast started. I'm sure we have more than enough to around."

"Thanks, Granny. You're the best."

It was a bit odd. Kirishima never came to her house by himself. He was always there with Kaminari or Ashido. Additionally, something seemed to be bothering him. He smiled all throughout breakfast, but the smile did not quite reach his eyes. It was only when they were alone in the living room again that he spoke up and asked her something important.

Rubbing the back of his neck, he gave Shirayuki a rather sheepish smile. "Hey, so, I actually wanted to ask you something, Yuki. The sports festival is coming up and we both need to train, right? And you have some time before your date, still. I was wondering if you'd spar with me. There's a field where we can do it and I just really need someone to help me practice with my quirk."

"…Kirishima-kun…?"

"Your quirk is really strong. It's kind of like Bakugou's. And that's the kind of quirk that I really need to train against if I want to get better with my own quirk. So are you in? I'll treat you to lunch afterwards."

"…o-okay…I…probably need to train more, too…" She grabbed a snack bag from the kitchen, loaded with some calorie-packed treats, and the two set off.

Walking together, it was clear that something was still bothering him, but he was reluctant to bring it up. He tried to grin and be his usual cheerful self however, Shirayuki could see through it. After being without friends for so long, she had become fairly good at reading others. He was clearly bothered by something and whatever it was, he did not want to divulge the details to her yet.

Once they were at the field, she pulled her hair back into a ponytail and stood facing him. She squared her shoulders and widened her stance the way that Bakugou had showed her, frowning to herself and lowered her mask since it was just her and her close friend. She was grateful that he had taught her the proper stance for her quirk, but at the same time she was always reminded of that day in the forest with him. How close he had gotten to her. How scared she had been.

Kirishima stood across from her, putting a good amount of distance between them. "Okay! I'm going to start by just hardening before you send a blast! I'll move a little bit closer after each blast and then we'll change it up! Sound good?"

"…a-alright…!" Shirayuki's muscles tensed as she saw him activate his quirk. _Focus. Okay. Calm lake. Sunshine. Kittens. Coffee. Cookies. Friends. Shinsou. Focus._ Her crimson eyes narrowed and heat began to form in her right arm. Lifting her hand, she braced herself and released a blast. She felt guilty about firing at her friend and she had been apprehensive about it, but she knew that she needed to trust in his ability to protect himself.

After repeatedly sending energy blasts at her friend and realizing that he could, in fact, protect himself from them, she felt much better. By the time he reached her and the blasts were at close range, Shirayuki's confidence was growing. "…you're…not hurt…?"

He dusted off a little bit of dirt and beamed, showing his incredibly sharp teeth. "Nope; I'm fine! Just a few scorch marks. Your aim is awesome, Yuki! I thought you'd be too afraid to actually hit me!"

"…Bakugou-kun…helped me…" she admitted.

"That's pretty cool! You guys both have a lot of fire power; I'm actually kind of jealous." The redhead turned to look back to where he started. "So you're okay, right? You're not shaky? Your blood sugar is alright?"

She nodded once. "…I…ate enough at breakfast…and it was recent enough…so…I'm fine…"

"Alright! I'm going to go back and _this_ time, I want you to shoot _before_ I harden. Hey! Don't look so worried, Yuki! I'll be fine! I need to work on my reaction time so I need to be able to harden before you shoot at me. Just maybe don't go full power, okay?" He leaned down when she hesitated and put a hand on her shoulder. "Yuki? You okay with that?"

"…y-yeah…I guess…" Shirayuki nodded and her hands curled into fists. "…I…I can do it…if it'll help you, Kirishima-kun…" Her mouth shifted into a wide smile as she thought about helping her friend get stronger.

To her surprise, his face flushed for a moment and he leaned back. Turning his head to the side, he smiled. "You know, I'd die for that smile. Okay, let's do this!"

_Wait…what?_ She watched him jog back to his first position and her smile faltered. The girl took a deep breath and steadied her stance once more. _Okay. Kirishima-kun is strong. He has good reflexes…doesn't he? He can do this. _Heat rushed to her right arm as she lifted it and she released a blast.

He lifted both arms, hardening them seconds before impact. Gritting his teeth, he slid back a few inches from the hit, but received no damage. "Whoa! Did you see that, Yuki?! How'd it look?" he called to her.

Summoning forth a bit of courage, she cupped her hands around her mouth. "It…it looked awesome, Kirishima-kun!" Her face was burning red from raising her voice, but the bright smile on his face made it worth it. _Okay! I can do this!_ She shifted her legs back to position and prepared to release another blast.

By their third round of practice, both teenagers were trying to run while using their quirks to defend themselves. He would harden and rush at her, making the girl use her blasts to try to fend him off. She would send blasts of energy at him, forcing him to abruptly to harden wherever she was aiming at to keep himself safe.

Collapsing into the grass, the two shared some of the snacks that Shirayuki had brought with her. She was trembling and her blood sugar was really low, but the session had been exhilarating. "…you're…really good with your quirk…"

"Are you kidding?! Yuki, you were _awesome_ today! I mean, you're always pretty awesome, but you looked so cool with your mask off! And those blasts were really powerful!" The redhead saw her blush and look down at the grass beneath her. He sighed, rubbing the back of his head as a frown tugged at his features. "You're awesome, you know."

"…I'm not…awesome…Kirishima-kun…_you're_ awesome…" she argued. "…you're…brave…and cool…and-"

"Can you stop? Please?" When the girl looked over, she saw him bowing his head and wearing a deep frown. "I just can't…hear that right now, okay?"

"…are you alright…Kirishima-kun…?"

He ruffled his hair, releasing a frustrated growl before looking at her. "Yuki, I didn't want to interfere, okay? You're my friend and I really want you to be happy. I don't want to upset you. But I really didn't want you to start going out with that guy from 1-C! We're just first years! You should _wait_ for that kind of thing!" As he spoke, his face started to turn red. "Why couldn't you just _wait_?"

"…Kirishima-kun…?"


	29. Chapter 29

NeonHorizon: Happy readers. I mean...Kirishima's liked her since chapter one. He dropped hints. And all eyes were on Shinsou. Well anyway. Here's Shirayuki's date with Shinsou. With the sports festival coming up, I'm going to have some action bits. I mean, I can't just leave out the sports festival! Despite this being slice of life, that stuff's still pretty important! And...I've got some some plans for it.

* * *

"What time are you going to be home, Ume? Do you need some spending money?" Her grandmother's voice held concern as she ran a brush through the girl's long, dark violet hair.

Shirayuki was sitting on the floor in the sitting room, patiently letting her grandmother remove the tangles from her hair so she could style it for her date. The training session with Kirishima had left it in disarray and it hurt to try to brush it herself. _Kirishima-kun…_Toying with the hairband around her wrist, she frowned and closed her eyes.

Although he had not outright said it, she knew what he wanted to say. It made her stomach fill with butterflies, but not in the same way as Shinsou. These butterflies were flapping their wings faster and the feeling was heavier. A guilt. A sadness. A bizarre happiness at the knowledge that someone felt that way about her. Each time she felt a sliver of happiness about him liking her, it was swiftly followed by a nearly overwhelming guilt.

_How did I miss it? I thought…that I was good at reading people. But I didn't even notice how he felt. Kirishima-kun…I'm so sorry. _Heat bloomed in her face, a stinging in the corners of her eyes as she remembered his smile. He had tried to say that she should not take his words seriously. That he was just thinking out loud. It was hard to ignore the pain in his eyes.

"…Grandma…am I…a bad person…?"

"What? Ume, no. You're one of the sweetest girls-"

"…I…didn't see…how someone felt…and I accidentally hurt them…" she confessed, tears rolling down her cheeks. "…what do you do…when that happens…?"

Her grandmother paused in brushing her hair and frowned. "Well, dear, I'd say that the best you can do is make amends. But if we're talking about boys, don't give them hope for something that can never be. It's going to sound cold, but just because someone likes you, it doesn't mean that you're obligated to share their feelings. If you like someone more than them, that's just how love is. It's sad, but that's how things are. Sometimes a person just doesn't love you. But that's okay, Ume. There's someone out there for everyone."

Shirayuki opened her eyes now and stared down at her hands. "…will he…be able to forgive me…?"

The old woman wrapped her arms around the girl, pulling her into a warm hug. "I'm sure he will! If he's really your friend, he'll understand how you feel."

Hearing about the harsh reality of love made her chest feel tight. It hurt to think of people falling in love with someone that would never love them the same way. However, when her grandmother spoke of friendship and forgiveness, it was rather comforting.

Shirayuki wiped away her tears as he grandmother began to style her hair for her. It was curled loosely and fixed back away from her face with two thin braids. Honestly, this style was rather elegant and Shirayuki felt a bit strange with her hair this way, but she really wanted to impress Shinsou. Her grandmother had even bought her a new dress when she heard about the date.

Turning in a circle in front of the mirror in her room, Shirayuki was amazed at how she looked. The off the shoulder dress was a soft powder blue and brought out the dark sheen of her hair as well as the crimson brightness of her eyes. Pairing it with the elegant hairstyle, she briefly thought that she looked like a princess from a European fairy tale.

Then she caught sight of her wide mouth and all happiness faded. She felt shame rush to her face in a burst of warm redness and she bowed her head. _I…still look like me. This mouth. Like a monster. I look like a fraud. _Fresh tears brimmed in her eyes as she settled on her bed, facing the wall and hugging her dragon plush. _Who am I trying to fool? Just because someone likes me, I let it get to my head. I let myself think that…I could be…normal…_

She had not noticed the approaching footsteps so when a warm hand rested on her shoulder, the girl nearly jumped out of her skin. Turning her head quickly, Shirayuki's wide red eyes met a pair of calm, inquisitive indigo ones and more heat rose to her cheeks. "…Sh-Shinsou…?"

"Are you okay?" Realization seemed to hit him just then and he withdrew his hand, stepping back. Rubbing the back of his head, he frowned. "Sorry. I just barged into your room without thinking. But are you okay?"

"…I-I'm…fine…just embarrassed…" She wiped at her tears and got off of her bed, setting the dragon plush aside. "…um…s-so our date…we can leave in a few minutes…I just…need my mask…" The girl walked over to the drawer where she kept her assortment of masks and selected a white shimmery one that her grandmother had ordered online just for this occasion.

**Shift P.O.V**

_Something's wrong._ He knew her well enough by this point to know when she was hiding something from him. Sitting across from her in the restaurant, Shinsou could see that she was struggling with something. She was wearing a bracelet in place of a hairband on her wrist, but he could see her fidgeting with the ridges on it. "Shirayuki. Are you sure that you're okay? You can tell me if something's wrong."

The girl shook her head. "…it's…nothing that you can fix…I'm sorry…"

"You know, it doesn't have to be something that I can fix. I can just listen and it might make you feel better," he pointed out. _She hasn't taken her mask off since we left the house and she kept her head down for the whole walk here. Is she just feeling self-conscious about her mouth?_

"…I just…feel guilty…b-because today…I went to train with a friend…for the sports festival…and he said that he…that he liked me…and…I felt bad about it…but I…I really like you, Shinsou…and I just…I don't want to…want to lose my friend, but…I don't know what to do…" Her voice was softer than usual, a tremor in her words as she looked to him with watery crimson eyes.

Shinsou frowned and did the only thing he could think of to try to reassure her. He reached across the table, setting his hand on hers and feeling her fingers tremble beneath his. "Do you like him?"

"…Shinsou, I…I really like you…I like you so much…and just…just being around you…makes me so calm…and so happy…I-I don't even…know what to say…to express how I feel…" Her face went red as she lowered her gaze again.

Though her words made him feel happy, he still hated to see her looking so sad. Dinner was eaten quietly with him occasionally reaching over to hold her hand to try to reassure her again. When they left for the movie, he decided to take the initiative. Rather than let her continue to focus on her sadness, the boy needed to distract her.

In front of the movie theater, he paused and gently took her shoulder. Beneath the afternoon sun, Shinsou leaned down toward her. The girl's pale face was like the moon against the night-dark color of her hair and the way that her eyes sparkled made his heart skip a beat. His free hand lifted to her cheek and he eased his fingertips beneath her mask's edge. It was drawn down just enough for his lips to meet hers in a gentle, warm kiss that tasted of the chocolate dessert they had shared just moments before. A sweet kiss that filled his stomach with butterflies and made him want to draw her closer.

Shirayuki's hands were trembling, but she lifted her arms around his neck and kissed back. Her delicate, soft lips met his and molded against them. The girl's rapid pulse could be felt even through her dress and the pounding mirrored the boy's own heartbeat.

When he pulled away, Shinsou saw the vibrant blush that graced her cheeks, but his focus was on something else. The shy smile that pulled at her lips. The way that her eyes met his directly for a moment before timidly lowering. "Shirayuki. I hate to see you upset. So if something's bothering you, tell me, okay? I might not be able to do anything about it, but I can listen and try to make you feel better."

**Shift P.O.V**

Hearing these words filled her heart with such happiness that she thought she might burst. Shirayuki nodded her agreement. She was afraid that if she tried to speak, she might just end up rambling.

As they sat together in the movie theater, the girl found his arm slipping around her shoulders to pull her close against his side and her smile grew behind her mask. Shirayuki's guilt was pushed down as she slowly began to relax against his side, blushing at how warm he felt. Throughout the movie, her heart felt like it was racing, but in only the best way.

She almost wished that she could stay out with him all night. Disappointment made her chest tighten as they walked back toward their neighborhood. Every step closer to her house felt like a step away from him. He was holding her hand and they were talking about the movie they had seen, but when she laced her fingers with his, he went silent and looked down at her with a faint pinkish hue in his cheeks. "…I…wish that we didn't have to go home…" she quietly confessed.

Shinsou half-smiled and leaned down toward her. "Summer's coming up. Maybe we could take a trip somewhere. Like an overnight trip."

When they parted ways, it was with the promise to walk to school together the next morning. Shirayuki was still reluctant to part from him, however. When Shinsou kissed her this time, her arms went around his neck a bit quicker than before. She held onto him tightly, still wishing that they could continue the night.

"How was your date, Ume? Did you have fun?" Her grandmother greeted her with a smile when she entered the house.

"…it…was really fun…" Shirayuki nodded and removed her mask.

"Oh! That smile! See, I _knew_ that Shinsou-kun was a good boy. Such a polite young man. Just remember what I warned you about, Ume. You're still young. There's no need to move too quickly in a relationship."

"…yes, Grandma…" She went to her room and changed out of her dress, putting on a pair of black pajama pants and a gray t-shirt with blue stars printed on it. Before Shirayuki could let her hair out of its braid, she heard a "tap" against her window. She looked over, but the blinds were down so she was blind to whatever made the sound. It repeated as she approached the window with caution. The girl hesitantly lifted one of the blinds to peer outside.

In the sun's dying light, she saw a figure outside that made her heart drop into her stomach. Shirayuki's hands trembled as she took a step back and tried to decide what she should do. _I'm going to be a hero. I can do this_, she decided.

The blinds were lifted and then the window. Before she could speak, he made his demand. "C'mon, Ume. We're going for a walk. And don't even think about saying "no" or I'll make tomorrow hell!"


	30. Chapter 30

"Hey, Yuki! How'd your date go last night?"

Shirayuki flinched and lifted her gaze from her book. Kaminari was standing next to her desk, giving her a warm smile and a curious head tilt. She slowly closed her book, settling it in front of her on the desk and absently running her fingers along the spine. "…it was…a lot of fun…"

The blond boy winced at the hoarse sound of her voice. "Whoa. What happened to your voice? You sound pretty rough. Are you catching a cold?"

Shaking her head, she finally leaned down and rummaged in her bag for a throat lozenge. As she unwrapped it, she glanced toward the door to make sure that Bakugou had not arrived yet. "…I was…voice training…after my date…"

"Voice training?"

She saw Kirishima enter the classroom and immediately lowered her head again, biting the inside of her cheek behind her mask. A hand carefully maneuvered her mask so she could put the lozenge in and savored the honey lavender flavor of it. "…I…need to talk louder…if I want to be a hero…" she explained. From the corner of her eye, she saw Kirishima approaching "…Bakugou-kun…insisted on helping me practice being louder…and talking more…but my throat isn't used to it yet so…"

"Huh? Wait, so you met with Bakugou last night?"

"Hey, Yuki. Is that a new mask?" Kirishima smiled, standing beside her desk on the other side and successfully avoiding a potentially traumatizing conversation without even realizing it.

Shirayuki felt a pang of guilt when he spoke, but he seemed to be alright. In fact, he was acting as if nothing had happened. "…yes...I actually…um…I embroidered this one myself…"

"I like it. It looks really cute," he said, giving her a thumbs-up.

"…thank you…"

Kaminari, completely oblivious to any signs that things might be different between the two, decided to redirect the conversation again. "So did your boyfriend like that movie that you picked out?"

"Oh yeah! How was it? I thought it looked pretty good!"

_Kirishima-kun…?_ She smiled behind the mask, bowing her head slightly. She was glad that he was alright. After returning to her room that night, Shirayuki had worried that things might be awkward between them. That he might even avoid her. "…it was…really good…"

The three were soon joined by Ashido and then, inevitably, Bakugou trudged into the classroom and made them leave. The girl tensed as she listened to him move behind her at his desk. The memory of the previous night was still vivid in her mind and it unsettled her.

Shirayuki had reluctantly left her house, telling her grandmother that she was running to the convenience store. Bakugou led her to the forest where he had taught her how to stand to prevent falling when she used her quirk. What occurred after that was the equivalent of a nightmare. Screaming. Shouting. All while he threatened to make her life hell if she refused to work on being louder.

Despite the intense fear from being alone with her volatile classmate in the forest at night, she could see his point when he grumpily explained it. She mumbled. She hesitated when she spoke. A hero needed to be loud. They needed to be able to raise their voice and speak with absolute clarity.

The girl was deep in thought when she felt a sharp kick to one of the legs of her chair. She jumped a little and looked over her shoulder. "…Bakugou-kun…?"

"How's your throat?" He asked this without actually looking at her. Instead, his eyes were on the book that lay open in front of him. The book that she had loaned to him what felt like weeks ago.

His question left her a bit surprised. "…it…hurts…" She faced forward again, fidgeting with the hairband around her wrist.

"We're gonna do it again tomorrow, got it?"

"…but…I…need to go shopping tomorrow…"

Behind her, the boy scowled. "Whatever. I'll wait then."

"…I really…want to work on it _alone_…" Shirayuki felt a hand close on a lock of her hair and tug at it. "…ngh…"

"You're not gonna get better if you do it by yourself! I know what kind of person you are! You're gonna just play it safe and be quiet your whole life! What kind of hero mumbles?!"

"Stop it!" Her voice was at a normal, speaking volume and she slammed a hand down against the top of her desk. She gritted her teeth, face turning bright red with embarrassment. Her pulse was racing as she turned toward him and saw the boy smirking. "Bakugou-kun, I'm not-"

"Go ahead and yell at me, Ume!"

"Whoa! Didn't know you were a _masochist_, Bakugou!" Kirishima called from his seat. When the other boy fumed and glared over at him, the red-haired boy simply grinned. "What? You wanted Yuki to yell at you, right?"

To Shirayuki's shock, she saw a reddish hue taking over Bakugou's face. He stood when Kirishima spoke, as if he might go to confront him, but now he grudgingly sat down at his desk and turned his head to the side. _What…?_ She glanced to Kirishima, who flashed her a reassuring smile, but she was still a little confused about what had just happened.

Class began and Shirayuki tried to focus on the lessons, but it was difficult. She had a lot on her mind after the previous day's events. The revelation that Kirishima liked her, the date with Shinsou, and the vocal training with Bakugou. It was all extremely overwhelming. In the past, it might have even caused her to stay home so she could recuperate, but things were different now. She was training to become a hero so she had to be stronger than that.

In the cafeteria, she was the first of her friend group to get their lunch. She found a good space for them to sit at and intended to wait for the others, but Shirayuki was soon joined by someone else. As her stoic classmate sat across from her, she felt an anxious twisting in her stomach. The kind of anxiety that came only with facing a near-stranger. "…ah…um…I was…s-saving…seats…" Her voice dropped to a whisper when he met her gaze directly.

"What did you say?"

Sensing that he would not move, even if she did explain, Shirayuki decided to give up. Her friends might still sit with her, after all, and that might help him realize what was going on. It was not as though she disliked him or wanted him to leave, but she was sure that he was the kind of person to dislike socializing. "…n-nothing…Todoroki-kun…"

Across the table, he began to eat without another word to her. Shirayuki's stomach twisted in knots as she realized that she would need to lower her mask so she could eat as well. With trembling fingers, she slowly drew it down and silently prayed that her classmate would not look over. As she started eating, she realized that she was so nervous that she could hardly even taste the food.

"Your father was Calorie Bomb, right?"

She gripped her chopsticks tighter and gave a small nod. When she lifted her eyes from her food, she found him watching her. The girl's wide mouth twitched into a frown and she looked down again. "…yes…but…"

"I saw him on television a few times. His quirk was something about food, wasn't it?"

_Is he…making conversation? Is this small talk?_ Shirayuki bit her lip, using her chopsticks to stir the noodles in her bowl. "…my father's quirk…was called "calorie boost"…the more calories he ate…the more powerful it made his body…"

"What was your mother's quirk?"

_My mother…_Her frown deepened. "…she…can produce light…from her hands…but it takes up stamina…she isn't a hero…"

"I see." Todoroki chewed thoughtfully and lowered his gaze. "It wasn't a quirk marriage, was it?"

"…my father…really loved my mother…" It hurt to talk about. Shirayuki had memories of when her family was whole. Of when she lived with her parents and only paid visits to her grandmother's house occasionally. Of when her mother had been kind, when her father had carried her on his shoulders and called her "princess". Her chest grew tight, a faint stinging at the corners of her eyes.

The chair beside hers was pulled out and Shinsou set his tray down next to hers. The boy looked across the table at Todoroki briefly before turning his head toward Shirayuki. "How's your throat?"

"…still sore…" Her voice dropped to just above a whisper as she fought back tears. There was a quiet rustling beside her and then several lozenges plopped onto her tray. "…Shinsou…?"

"There are a few different kinds. I asked my classmates for sore throat remedies and they gave me these."

She was thankful. Not only because he had given her the lozenges. He had gone out of his way to get them for her and had approached his classmates for a remedy. "…thank you…"

Todoroki set down his chopsticks, drawing her attention. "Is it alright if I come to see my cat today?"

Shirayuki glanced briefly at Shinsou, who was now resting one arm in front of him on the table, leaning on it and staring at Todoroki. "…ah…y-yes…it should be alright…um…did you…want to walk with me or…?"

"I remember where you live so I'll meet you there. I need to get a gift before I visit." Having finished his meal, he stood and carried his tray to clear his place.

_He's…so polite. He doesn't need to bring a gift every time he visits._ She resumed eating, her long dark hair falling forward around her face and hiding her mouth from the students around her. "…Shinsou…do you…?"

"You don't have to ask." He ran a hand over his hair and half-smiled. "Of course we're walking home together."

When they had finished eating, Shirayuki walked with Shinsou for a while down the hallway. She was glad that he seemed to have moved past their interaction that morning. When he heard how rough her voice was, he pressed her to tell him what had happened. Shinsou was not happy that she had gone with Bakugou, but he was relieved that nothing had happened to her.

"We should get ice cream on the way home," he finally spoke again. Seeing her excited expression, a pinkish shade rose to his cheeks.


	31. Chapter 31

The look of delight that Shirayuki wore when she received an ice cream cone was enough to make him want to smile. It brought him so much pleasure to see her so happy that it made his heart feel fluttery. Bowing his head, Shinsou lowered his gaze to his own ice cream. "Is it good?"

"…it's…wonderful…" she replied. The mask was hanging loosely around her neck, the ice cream cone positioned in front of her mouth as she licked at it. "…Shinsou…thank you so much…I really appreciate this…"

"Your throat hurt. I just thought that this would help," he half-protested. His eyes shifted to the side, watching her happily lick the ice cream. A faint warmth rose to his face and he rubbed the back of his neck. "Your classmate is visiting your house, right?"

"…he…wanted to adopt the last kitten…but his father won't let him have her at home…so we're just…holding onto her…until he can convince him…" Shirayuki's crimson eyes slid partially closed as her expression changed from utter bliss to deep in thought. Almost crestfallen. "…my grandma…said that my father…was classmates with his father…"

"Sorry." Shinsou could feel guilt tightening his chest and he frowned. _I didn't know that. She doesn't really talk about her dad._ The sight of her looking so distressed made him want to do something to distract her. "What flavor did you pick?" he spoke up again.

"…ah…um…it's…mint chocolate chip…" She held up the ice cream, showing him the pale green color. "…why…?"

"I got vanilla caramel. Do you want a taste?"

Shirayuki stared up at him for a moment as they paused on the sidewalk. "…a taste…of your ice cream…?" A blush bloomed in her cheeks as the words set in.

He raised an eyebrow and leaned down toward her. "Here." Shinsou gently brushed a dark violet lock of hair behind her ear and held his ice cream near her lips. She leaned forward a bit more and licked at it timidly, still blushing almost as red as the color of her eyes. Something about this sight sent a tingle through him and he soon took a step back.

The girl shyly put a hand over her mouth, hiding a smile. "…it's…really good…um…Shinsou…did you want…to try mine, too…?"

"Yes." He brought the hand holding the cone closer to him and leaned down to lick the ice cream. The indirect kiss brought a half-smile to his lips as he straightened. "Sorry. You need to hurry home, don't you?"

"…it's alright…I…really like spending time with you…"

Shinsou noticed that despite all of the lozenges and ice cream, her voice still sounded a little rough. Remembering their interaction that morning, regarding her vocal training with her volatile classmate, he started to feel a little irritated. He disliked her classmate already, but to know that they had been alone together in the forest sent him to another level of irritation.

Thinking about the vocal training, however, sparked an idea. Not a great idea, but it was something. If she needed help to push herself to raise her voice, he could probably help her using his quirk. The amount of help that he could offer was a bit limited, but if it was just about training her vocal cords to allow her to speak louder, he could do something for her.

The ice cream was finished and they were now in their neighborhood. Walking beside her down the street, he could see that she was starting to look a little nervous. He knew right away that she was anxious about her classmate visiting so he decided to distract her from it. "Shirayuki. Can you meet me tonight around seven? I have something that I want to try."

Instantly, her face turned pink behind her mask. "…Sh-Shinsou…?"

"It's just something for training. Don't worry about it." He gently took her hand in his and leaned down, his free hand lowering her mask. The boy's lips captured hers, caressing them softly and savoring the sweet flavor of the kiss.

**Shift P.O.V**

_What does he have planned?_ Shirayuki walked to her house alone, head bowed and face still a bit flushed. Biting the inside of her cheek, she hoped that whatever it was, she would be home before bedtime since they had school the next day. _It couldn't be…anything too…_She slipped her key into the door and entered the house with a frown.

"Ume, is that you? Your friend has been waiting for you in the sitting room! Go on ahead and say hello to him! I'll bring the tea in a few minutes!" Her grandmother's voice echoed from the kitchen.

"…ah…o-okay…" She left her bag near the door and walked to the sitting room, her stomach twisting in anxious knots.

Todoroki was seated on the couch and currently appeared to be preoccupied with petting the kitten on his lap. The feline looked extremely happy; eyes closed and loudly purring as she rubbed her face against his hand. When he saw Shirayuki enter the room, he paused in his actions and the hint of a smile was replaced by his usual stoic frown. "Thank you for having me."

Shirayuki bowed a little. "…thank you…for wanting to adopt the kitten…" She hesitantly moved closer and lifted the chubby white cat that was about to hop up onto the couch. The girl knew from experience that the cat intended to push away the kitten and she also knew how precious this time was to Todoroki.

"I thought that your name was Yuki," he remarked.

Her eyes lifted, fixing upon the boy and trying to determine whether or not he was joking. _He thought my name…was Shirayuki Yuki?_ She stood near the couch, holding the chubby white cat in her arms and frowning behind her mask. "…it's…actually Ume…but…I don't…"

"Here we are! I made us a nice pot of green tea to go with the mochi that Todoroki-kun brought today," her grandmother interrupted. The old woman paused in the doorway, looking from Shirayuki to the boy and back. "I'm sorry. Did I interrupt something?"

"…no…um…Grandma…I was just…explaining to Todoroki-kun…that my friends call me "Yuki"…" Shirayuki's voice trembled as she spoke and the cat began rubbing its cheek against her chin in an effort to console her.

"I see! So you two are becoming fast friends, aren't you?" The tray was set down on the table in front of the couch with three cups, a teapot, and a plate of mochi. "Well, here we go! Remember, Ume, don't spoil your appetite! We're having soba tonight." The old woman seated herself in the chair beside the couch and smiled in the boy's direction. "Of course, you're welcome to join us, young man."

"…my grandmother…makes really good soba…"

The boy's heterochromatic eyes shifted from his hosts to the kitten that was now staring up at him. Almost as if it anticipated an answer. Finally, he gave a small nod. "I'll need to call my sister to make sure that it's alright."

"That's fine. Here, do you want me to hold the kitten while you call? Ah. What did you name her?"

Todoroki stared blankly for a moment. "Her name is Torako." He handed the kitten to Shirayuki's grandmother and excused himself to the kitchen to call home.

The dark-haired girl looked to the silver tabby kitten and felt a bit surprised that Todoroki had chosen such a plain name for the cat. Basically, the equivalent of naming her "Tiger" or "Stripes". There was nothing wrong with it, but she had expected him to choose something more elegant.

The chubby white cat began to squirm so she set it down on the floor and accepted Todoroki's cat from her grandmother. She could hear her classmate talking on the phone in the kitchen, hardly able to make out most of the words because his voice was quiet. It was when she heard him say "Calorie Bomb's daughter" that she felt a tightness in her chest.

Her grandmother poured the cups of tea and helped herself to a piece of fruit-flavored mochi. As she chewed, she offered her granddaughter an almost sheepish smile. When she finished eating, the woman nodded toward the kitchen. "Ume, I'm glad you've made friends with that boy. He seems like the lonely type. Like he doesn't make friends easily."

"…I…don't know…he keeps to himself at school…"

Todoroki returned and his first concern was getting his kitten back from her. Only when he was seated once more and had the feline curled up on his lap, did he offer an answer to her grandmother's invitation. "I can stay for dinner."

Shirayuki's grandmother was more than pleased with this. She took another piece of mochi and set off to begin getting everything ready. As she bustled around the kitchen and dining area, Shirayuki and Todoroki sat in awkward silence as they simply appreciated the presence of the various cats.

_My father was classmates with his father_, she reminded herself as she sat at the table across from him. It was strange to think about, despite her knowing that it was not entirely absurd for her to cross paths with him this way.

"Is your father going to the sports festival?" Her grandmother's voice was calm, but Shirayuki could see the slight twitch at the corner of her mouth.

"Yes. He's going to be there," Todoroki answered quietly.

"Well you must be excited!"

"No…not really."

Shirayuki timidly looked across at him as she chewed her food. _He looks…upset. _There was clear pain in his eyes as well as a flicker of anger. Bowing her head, she reached to her teacup. "…I…would have liked it…if my father could be there…"

"Ume, I was going to tell you sooner, but I got so excited about having a visitor. Your mother is coming back to Japan for the sports festival. She called this morning to tell me." The old woman's mouth twisted into a deep, concerned frown. "If you don't want her to come, just say the word and I'll call her and tell her not to come. She has no right to-"

"My mother…can go." Shirayuki spoke confidently, but she was trembling. "…she's…my mother...Grandma, I appreciate everything that you do, but…she's my mother…so she does have a right…but…I don't want her to stay here…"

Todoroki looked up from his meal when he heard this and he saw the girl gripping her chopsticks with a shaking hand. There were large tears forming at the corners of her eyes. All he knew about her mother was that the woman was not a hero and she was working overseas. Clearly, her relationship with Shirayuki was not good. "I'm sorry." He spoke without meaning to and frowned.

"…it's…fine…" She checked the time and stood. "…Grandma…Todoroki-kun…I need to go somewhere…I'm sorry…thank you for visiting…"


	32. Chapter 32

NeonHorizon: Someone's gaining some confidence today, happy readers!

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The second that Shirayuki emerged from her house, he could tell that something was wrong. She was keeping her eyes lowered, but Shinsou saw how red the whites of her eyes looked. _She's trying not to cry_, he realized. _What happened to her?_ His gaze shifted to the house and narrowed. _Did her classmate upset her?_

"…sorry…Shinsou…um…so what did you…want to talk about…?" Her voice shook as she continued her internal battle to not start crying.

He rubbed the back of his neck, wondering if he should change his plans for the evening. The boy wanted to help her. He wanted to do something to make her feel better. It honestly hurt Shinsou to see the girl looking so melancholic. "Let's just…go for a walk," he finally suggested.

"…ah…a walk…um…it's kind of late…"

"Sorry. If you don't like the dark-" Shinsou saw her shake her head, fidgeting with the hem of her sleeve. She had changed clothes before going out to meet with him so the girl was wearing a dark red sweater and black shorts with boots. "I'll hold your hand," he offered, reaching his hand out to her.

The girl's face flushed pink and she finally lifted her eyes to his. "…th-thank you…um…but we…we can't stay out too late…please…"

Although he disliked how worried she sounded, he gave her a nod. Taking her hand, Shinsou began to lead her down the sidewalk. As they walked, his thoughts ranged from what he had planned to the various possible reasons for why she looked so upset. This was not just sorrow that he saw in her expression; it was sadness and anger.

"Shirayuki…did something happen?"

Her hand tensed in his, fingertips digging at the top of his hand. "…I…ah..m-my grandmother…tonight, she…she told me that…my mother…is coming back to Japan…for the sports festival…"

Shinsou's frown deepened upon hearing this. He had never met her mother. Despite having been in the same class as Shirayuki since they were nine years old, he had never even seen Shirayuki's mother. Any time there was an event for parents at school, the only person to show up was Shirayuki's grandmother. He knew very little about the woman, but he did remember her grandmother mentioning that she was unkind to Shirayuki.

"You know, you don't have to talk to her," he pointed out, trying to make her feel better. "Just because she wants to see you, it doesn't mean that you have to speak to her. If she upsets you…you don't even have to let her meet with you."

"…she's my mother…"

"That doesn't give her the right to make you feel bad." Shinsou ran a hand over his hair and watched her from the corner of his eye. "I don't like to see you upset. If she does something to make you cry, I can't promise that I won't do something."

This was not an empty promise. That day that she had gone out with her classmates, he had followed to make sure that she was going to be alright. When those kids from their junior high had made fun of her, Shinsou had done something that he was not entirely proud of. Something that she could never know about.

Offering a small smile, he turned to look down at her. "After the sports festival, we should go on another date. Just the two of us. We can go wherever you want, Shirayuki. Even if it's far; we can take a train."

The girl wiped at her eyes with her free hand and nodded. When she looked up at him again, her eyes showed her smile even though her mask hid her mouth. "…Shinsou…thank you…"

That look was all it took to make his heart skip a beat. Facing forward again, he tried to maintain a cool look, but when he saw her looking so happy, it was hard to not become flustered. "If you need to talk, I'm here. Don't forget that."

**Shift P.O.V**

"…where are we…walking to…?" Shirayuki had been so preoccupied with thinking about the upcoming visit from her mother that she found herself surprised when she saw the oncoming forest.

A sheepish sort of expression crossed her boyfriend's face as he rubbed the back of his neck. "The sports festival is coming up so I wanted to practice my quirk, but…I thought of a way that I can help you, too."

"…a…way to help me…?" She tilted her head slightly, puzzled. _But we can't spar the way that I did with Kirishima-kun. If I try to hit him with a calorie blast…it would really hurt him._

He led her into the forest, not offering an answer. The hold on her hand was gentle and warm so she still trusted him. Shinsou was always concerned about her wellbeing so she was sure that whatever he intended, it would not be something that could potentially upset her.

When they had gone a decent distance into the forest, Shinsou finally turned toward her and hooked his fingers through the strings of her mask. He gently lowered it, meeting her wide crimson eyes with his placid indigo gaze. "Do you think I could ever do something that would make you hate me?"

The question was beyond puzzling. "…n-no…I couldn't hate…" She had intended to reach for his hand again, but her body refused to move. Staring at the boy, she knew that he had used his quirk on her.

Shinsou took a few steps back and his mouth drew into a rather guilty frown. His hands slid into his pockets as he seemed to mentally prepare himself for what was to come. "Scream."

Shirayuki's lips parted, a long shriek tearing its way up her throat and piercing through the otherwise silent forest. She felt tears spring to her eyes as the sound continued, pushing her vocal cords to maintain the volume. When she needed to take a breath, she hoped that it would be the end, but then the order came again. Another scream, but louder.

As much as she wanted to stop, as embarrassed as she was, the girl was unable to keep her mouth closed. Her face was beginning to turn red as she braced for a third scream. When he finally stopped using his quirk, Shirayuki was trembling and fell to her knees on the ground. Panting, she kept her head bowed and avoided his gaze.

He walked back to her and crouched down, holding out a hand to offer to help her up. Seeing how red her face was and observing the tears that dotted the ground beneath her, Shinsou frowned. "I'm sorry. I wanted to help you so you won't need your classmate to-"

"Shinsou." Her voice sounded hoarse, but her words were steady. Shirayuki's eyes lifted to his and she gave him a shaky smile. "Thank you…for helping."

Shinsou smiled back and took her hand. He stood, bringing her with him, and was surprised to find her throwing her arms around his neck. A laugh escaped her as she hugged him and he gladly put his own arms around her waist. He had feared she might hate him for pushing her this way, for forcing her to test her limits, but she seemed genuinely grateful.

When she stepped back, Shirayuki coughed into her fist and frowned. Her throat hurt worse than before, but she was glad that he had made her raise her voice. It brought her one step closer to being more confident and speaking louder. The girl coughed a bit more and shook her head. "…I-I need…something to drink…"

He led her through the forest to the street once more and Shinsou guided her to the nearest convenience store. He went inside, leaving her out near the sidewalk while she coughed. Two bottles of tea and a small bag of cookies were purchased.

The girl was still coughing as a chilled bottle was pressed against her cheek. Shirayuki had been looking across the street at something and jumped when this happened, releasing a small squeak of surprise. When she turned to look, she saw Shinsou's eyes widened and a faint tinge of pink in his cheeks. "…ah…Sh-Shinsou…what is it?"

"That noise you made. Um…it was cute." He waited for her to take the bottle and then turned his head to the side, trying to hide his blush.

"…I was…just surprised…" she argued, removing the cap from the tea. She took several gulps from the bottle before returning her gaze to the thing across the street. Shirayuki had seen a small, dark shape near the bushes and had been watching it to see if it would move. She almost wondered if it was just something that had been dropped there.

It started moving and the fading sunlight caught something on it that glinted. Before Shirayuki could go to investigate, the shape began to cross the street and rubbed against her shins, meowing. _A kitten!_ She instantly crouched down to scoop them up, not wanting to leave them near a street, and that was when she spotted the spiky collar and nametag.

Shinsou put a finger beneath the tag as the cat rubbed its head against Shirayuki's chin. "Who would name a cat Slasher?"

The girl's heart felt as though it dropped into her stomach. Lifting the kitten so she could see the tag, she saw "Slasher" engraved in the metal as well as the address of her classmate. _How did you get out? Does Bakugou-kun know that you're here?_ She held the kitten to her chest and turned to Shinsou with a frown. "…this kitten…was adopted by a classmate…um…I'm going to…return him so…go on without me…"

"I can go with you," he offered.

"…I…I'm trying to become a hero…so…I need to do this myself…" She bowed to him and she was about to pull her mask up again, but hesitated. Standing on tiptoe, the girl pressed her lips to his cheek and then fixed her mask. "…thank you…for your help tonight…"

As she ran down the sidewalk, Shirayuki's heart was beating a panicked rhythm. She worried about what might have happened to the kitten if she had not been there at the right time. She was getting ready to actually scold her classmate when she saw him. Not many things could anger her, but irresponsible pet ownership was something she could not tolerate.

Reaching the apartment, the girl summoned forth some courage and knocked. It was soon opened by a vaguely familiar woman with spiky ash blonde hair. Shirayuki held up the kitten, about to explain everything.

The woman's eyes widened and then she half-grinned. "Hey, Katsuki! Guess who found your cat!" she called over her shoulder. Opening the door wider, she beckoned to the girl. "Come on in, kid. What was your name?"

"…Sh-Shirayuki Ume…but…I can't really stay…"

"What? Come on! You came all this way; it won't hurt to stay for some tea!"


	33. Chapter 33

NeonHorizon: Get ready for a surprise~!

* * *

"Don't be shy, kid! You want a cookie?"

"…n-no…that's…that's okay…thank you…" Shirayuki held the kitten close against her chest, her head bowed to avoid making eye contact with Bakugou's mother. The woman was sitting across from her at the table, beaming and trying to make conversation while they waited for her son.

The girl felt more awkward than usual. She always felt like this around people's parents. Having gone without friends in junior high and elementary school, she never visited a classmate's home. She was never introduced to their parents. She only saw them at events at school so she was usually spared any interaction.

Her pulse was rapid, her stomach twisting in knots. The walk to Bakugou's home had been filled with anger over finding his cat outside near the street, a good ways away from his neighborhood. Now she felt deflated. She knew that she probably looked like she was shrinking away from his mother, but she had not been prepared for this.

"Are you excited for that sports festival?" The boy's father approached the couch, attempting to offer a polite smile.

"…ah…y-yes…I'm looking forward to it…"

"What's your quirk anyway? Katsuki didn't say."

_Does Bakugou-kun…talk about me to his parents? What has he told them?_ She reached a hand out to grab her cup of tea, shaking slightly. "…my quirk…um…w-well it's called "calorie blast"…my body converts calories into…a blast of energy…"

"Is that why you're so skinny?" his mom asked.

Shirayuki's eyes lifted and met hers. "…um…y-yes…my body…burns through calories rapidly…" She was about to lift the teacup to her lips, but paused when she remembered that she was still wearing her mask. _I don't want them to see. They're going to be freaked out. They'll think I'm a monster._

"What the hell are you doing?"

She tensed at the sound of her classmate's voice and bowed her head once more. The girl heard him more or less stomping over to the couch. She jumped when he reached down for the black kitten. Out of curiosity, Shirayuki peeked up at him through her dark violet hair. To her surprise, she saw Bakugou lifting the kitten up to look it over before settling the feline on his shoulder. The gentle way that he handled the cat made her frown a bit behind her mask. It was so different from how he treated everyone else.

"Look, you little brat! A cat's a big responsibility! We let you keep that because you were taking care of it! This poor girl found Slasher out near the street, blocks away from here!" his mother scolded.

"Shut up, you old hag! I'm not the one that left the door open!"

"What the hell was he doing near the door anyway?! You were supposed to keep an eye on him!"

Shirayuki winced, listening to Bakugou argue back and forth with his mother. She heard his father release a sigh and he quietly apologized to her. The girl gave a small nod and bowed her head lower. _I just want to go home now._

A hand closed around her wrist and she found herself being hauled to her feet. Furious crimson eyes were narrowed upon her, meeting her startled expression. "Come on, Ume!"

"…wait…wait a second…where…are we going…?" She tried to pull away, but he kept a firm grip on her arm.

"Where do you think you're going?!" his mother demanded.

"Shut up! We're going to my room!"

"Not a chance in hell! Do you have any idea what time it is, you little punk?"

"Katsuki, maybe you should walk your friend home," his father spoke up.

"…my grandmother…is waiting for me…" Shirayuki agreed. She was finally released as he stomped back to his room and she turned to bow to his parents. "Th-thank you…for your hospitality."

The boy's parents exchanged a look. His father smiled and his mother grinned, walking over to ruffle the girl's long hair. "No problem, kid. You know, you ought to visit more. Katsuki's a brat, but he really likes you."

_What did he say about me? _The thought made her feel a bit anxious. She half-heartedly agreed with his mother. The woman herself seemed alright. His father was polite. However, the family atmosphere left her feeling melancholic.

"…I…can walk home by myself…" she tried to assure them. Shirayuki did not like walking alone at night, but it would be better than walking with Bakugou. She was already having some terrifying flashbacks to the previous night's vocal training.

"What'd you say?" He appeared from his room, wearing a scowl.

"…I can get home by myself…"

"Tch. Not a chance in hell. I'm not letting you get kidnapped." He grabbed her hand, holding it tightly in his, and glanced to his parents. "Be back later."

_Why…do we have to hold hands?_ Shirayuki grimaced, biting the inside of her cheek as they set off into the night. Gradually, her anxiety became overshadowed by her anger from before. Thinking about how she had found Slasher out near a street, at night, alone, the girl's blood felt like it was boiling.

Bakugou failed to notice her anger since her head was bowed and her mask hid her frown. What he did notice was the way her hand squeezed his. He smirked as her slender, pale fingers tightened their grip. "Just couldn't wait to see me, huh?" he taunted.

"…Slasher…was alone…" Her voice was still quite rough from straining her vocal cords and her words came out in a growl. "…he could have been hit by a car…or killed by a predator…or stolen by someone…he could have starved or…fallen into a sewer…Slasher could have _died_…"

"What're you muttering about, Ume? Speak up." Bakugou was not prepared for what happened next. He was used to the timid, fearful Shirayuki. He had yet to meet this side of her.

She lifted her head and the girl's crimson eyes were narrowed in outrage. Squeezing his hand with all of her strength, her nails dug into the top of his hand. "He could have _died_! Your cat could have _died_ tonight! How could you be so irresponsible?! I can't _stand_ people that neglect their pets! Why weren't you out looking for him? What kind of heartless person lets their cat wander alone at night? And he's a black cat! No one would have seen him if he got out in the street! He could have been hit by a car! What do you have to say for yourself?!"

The boy stared at her, mouth hanging open. Shirayuki's nails were digging in so deep now that he was bleeding. Drops of crimson struck the sidewalk as she glared up at him with eyes full of tearful fury. His heart skipped a beat as it all set in. The words, the rage, the look in her eyes, and the sound of her voice as she scolded him. That voice was not the soft whispery tone he was used to; this was the voice of someone full of fire.

The girl saw his cheeks turn red as he blinked. Bakugou turned his head to the side, a smirk tugging at his lips. In her outrage, she tugged down her mask to display a scowl. "What is so funny?! Slasher could have _died_! What do you have to say for yourself? Tell me why I shouldn't just take him back! If you're going to be so irresponsible-!" Her eyes widened as his free hand grabbed her hair. The boy's lips smashed against hers and she felt blood rush to her face. She tried to push him away and when she finally succeeded, her heart was racing.

A smug expression settled on his face and he looked down at the bloody crescent-shaped wounds she had made in the top of his hand. When his eyes lifted to meet hers again, he saw her take a step back. "That was hot. I didn't think you really had it in you."

A fresh wave of fury made her begin to tremble, but she took a deep breath and tried to calm herself. Shirayuki pulled her mask up again and took several steps back. Her eyes shifted from the boy's face to the bleeding gouges on his hand, and she frowned. She bowed slightly, closing her eyes for a moment. "…I'm sorry…about your hand…and for shouting…but…I'm serious…i-if you can't…take care of Slasher…if you can't be r-responsible…then…I'll take him back…and…and don't…k-kiss people…without w-warning…it's not…"

"He wasn't even out that long. That old hag made me help carry stuff. She left the door open." Bakugou saw her give a small nod, as if it made sense. "Slasher's _my_ cat. I'm not giving him back. If you want him, you'll have to fight me." When he said this, his smirk turned to a somewhat evil grin.

"…no…I…know that you…take good care of him…"

Shirayuki finished her walk home by herself and slept rather fitfully that night. When she woke, her throat hurt as much as the day before. Her grandmother suggested that she stay home, but with the sports festival so close, she wanted to go to school.

Shinsou was waiting for her near the gate and raised an eyebrow when she greeted him. "Your voice still sounds rough," he commented. "Do you feel okay?"

They began walking down the sidewalk and Shirayuki blushed pink when he held her hand. "…I…I screamed at…someone…" she confessed.

Now both eyebrows raised. "You screamed at someone?"

Chewing at her lower lip, the girl knew that her face was turning red from the memory. She was embarrassed that she had raised her voice. She hated to be loud, but she had gotten so upset. "…he…needed to know…what might have happened to Slasher and…I couldn't just…let him think that it was okay…to let his cat be out at night…"

"Hardcore, Shirayuki," he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "Sorry about last night. I should have warned you more before using my quirk on you."

"…n-no…I'm…glad that you did…"

"You are? So you're not mad at me? I kind of tricked you into it."

She looked up at him, frowning behind her mask. "…but if you hadn't…I don't know if I…would have agreed to it…I was nervous already and…it would have been worse…if I knew I would be raising my voice…"

The two walked in silence for a while, both in contemplation. When someone did speak again, it was Shirayuki. "…did I…help you with your quirk…?"

"Oh. Yeah. It helped." He began to frown slightly as well. "I need to be able to use it on people close to me. I usually just use it on people that I don't know that well." Despite saying this, it was clear that he still felt guilty about using it on her.

More silence followed. Finally, the girl gave his hand a light squeeze and she bowed her head. "…my mother…is going to arrive on the day after tomorrow…m-my grandmother told me this morning…that she…wants to have dinner together…but…"

Shinsou turned toward her, gently slipping an arm around her to pull the girl into a hug. "Shirayuki. Do you want me to go with you for support?"


	34. Chapter 34

NeonHorizon: I want to give a special shout out to a special happy reader that goes by Yukio-Yui-chan on DeviantArt. She made some super cute pictures of Shirayuki ^_^

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"You've been on edge all day, Yuki-chan. What's up?" Ashido stood beside Shirayuki's desk, head tilted and mouth turned down into a concerned frown.

"She was kind of out of it yesterday," Kaminari pointed out as he joined them. "Are you getting sick? It'd be bad to get sick right before the sports festival."

Shirayuki was packing up her belongings and glanced over, nervously chewing at her lower lip when she looked at her friends. "…I just…have something tonight…I have to do…I'm nervous because…I don't want to do it, but…"

"You want to skip out on it?" Her red-haired friend tilted his head, coming to stand beside her when she stepped away from her desk. Kirishima walked alongside her when the four of them started moving down the hallway to go home.

"…I don't think I can skip this…" she admitted, bowing her head.

Kirishima leaned down a bit so he could look into her eyes and he saw her nervously glance away. "Is it Bakugou?"

"N-no!" She jolted back after he asked this, her face flushing red as she was reminded of the incident from two days ago. When she had shouted at Bakugou and it actually seemed to make him happy. The girl had managed to avoid being alone with him since then; making up excuses and having her grandmother turn him away the previous afternoon when he turned up at their front door.

The boy blinked in surprise, heat rising to his cheeks. Rubbing the back of his neck, he looked away. "S-so what's up, Yuki-chan?"

"…my…mother…is coming to the sports festival…" she mumbled, fidgeting with the handle of her bag. "…she…isn't really…"

Ashido exchanged a look with the other two and moved closer to Shirayuki's side. "Hey, it's okay! You know what? If you need backup, we'll be there for you! It's what friends do, Yuki-chan!"

"Yeah! And if she does something to make you upset, we'll cheer you up," Kaminari agreed, smiling over at her.

"Why don't we all hang out after the sports festival?" Kirishima suggested.

"That's a great idea! That's exactly what we need! Okay; I'll start coming up with a few ideas and I'll pitch them to you guys tomorrow!"

Shirayuki parted from her friends, feeling just a little better. The thought of spending time with them after the sports festival did cheer her up. She greeted Shinsou with a small nod and walked with him to catch their train to their neighborhood.

Sitting beside the indigo-haired boy, she found herself anxiously chewing her lip again. She wanted to avoid seeing her mother altogether, but it would be rude to refuse to see her. _Maybe…she wants to apologize? But it's been years. I haven't seen her in so long._ The last time she had seen her mother was when she was nine. Her mother brought her to her grandmother's house, along with all of the girl's clothes and her father's belongings. Shirayuki's last memory of actually seeing her mother involved the woman walking away as the girl cried and her grandmother tried to console her.

Thinking about it made her stomach twist with anxiety. By the time they got off at their stop, Shirayuki was fighting back nausea. Sweat stuck her bangs to her forehead and she began to struggle to breath. Usually when she fidgeted with her hairband, it was enough. Today, it did nothing to soothe her nerves.

Shinsou looked over to see her nervously snapping the hairband against her wrist, staring straight ahead almost as if she was in a trance. "Are you going to be okay?" He saw her jump and then bow her head so that her hair hid her face. She was not fast enough; he still saw that her face was now paper white and she was visibly distressed.

Warm fingers wrapped around her wrist and gently pried her hand away from her hairband. Shirayuki looked to the boy, peering at him through her dark bangs as she tried to calm herself down. _It isn't fair to Shinsou. I was doing so well and now…all it takes is…the thought of…seeing her…_

The boy frowned and ran his free hand through his hair. "Do I need to kidnap you?"

"…wh…what…?" Her pulse quickened and the girl's crimson eyes widened in alarm. "…k…kid…kidnap…?"

"No. Sorry; that came out wrong. I mean, do you want to come over to my place and you can just tell her that something came up?" Shinsou had a faint warm hue to his cheeks as he explained this.

It was a tempting offer, but before Shirayuki could even start to think of how her mother would react, she found her mind going elsewhere. She had not been to his home since they began dating. It was one thing to go there before. Technically, they were not officially friends back then. If she went there now, it would feel much different.

"…I shouldn't run…" she murmured, chewing at her lower lip behind her mask. "…if I…can't even face my mother…then…how can I ever be a hero…?"

Shinsou tilted his head, thinking about very different it was to face a parent versus facing a villain, but decided not to say anything about that. He had never even met her mother so, for all he knew, the woman could be a villain. All Shirayuki's grandmother had ever said was that the woman was unkind to Shirayuki and she worked overseas.

"Are you sure?"

"…I'm…sure…"

When they parted ways, the girl felt a heaviness settle in her heart to accompany the nausea. She walked with her head down, afraid of seeing her mother. Afraid of how she would react. Shirayuki was unsure of how she might react to finally seeing her mother again. If her anxiety was any indication, she may just cry.

Turning the corner to where her house was, the girl caught sight of a small black car parked in front of the home. Fear clawed at her chest, a tightness forming in her throat. She took a few deep breaths, attempting to calm down again. The closer she got to the house, the faster her heart raced. It was almost painful when she was just a few houses away.

"Shirayuki."

She jolted and turned swiftly, nearly falling. A hand darted out, grabbing her arm to steady her, and she winced at the tight grip. "…s-sorry…I…um…"

The blue and brown eyes that looked down at her took in the girl's fear and her classmate frowned. "I scared you. I'm sorry."

"…n-no, I'm…I'm sorry for…reacting that way…" Shirayuki looked to where he was still gripping her arm, hoping that he would let go. "…Todoroki-kun…why are you…wh-what brings you…to my neighborhood…?"

"I wanted to see my cat again. Is this a bad time?"

Before she could answer, the passenger side door of the car opened and slammed shut. The woman standing beside the car regarded the two teenagers with sharp eyes the same shade of crimson as Shirayuki's. She was different from how Shirayuki remembered her, but there was no mistaking it. This was her mother.

Shirayuki Hikari was a rather slender woman and moved with a predator's grace. Pairing this with her sharp cheekbones and narrow face, she looked rather intimidating. Back when Shirayuki's father was alive, the woman had been much softer. She had worn shirts that always matched his and usually left her hair loose. Now she wore her long, pale blonde hair pulled back from her face. It was straight, neatly brushed. She was wearing a light blue blazer, white blouse, and black pencil skirt on this day.

Black heels clicked on the pavement as she started toward the two students, her violet-painted lips set in a straight line. Hikari paused a few feet away from the two, arms crossed as her gaze strayed from her daughter to the boy beside her. "Hello there." Her voice was flat, her tone cold and impersonal.

"…h-hello…Mother…" Shirayuki had her head down, unable to even meet her mother's eyes. She had begun to tremble and was now actually glad for Todoroki's grip on her arm. It felt somehow reassuring in this moment of intense fear. She had worried how she might feel about seeing the woman again, but now she knew. It was all coming back. Shirayuki remembered Hikari's cold, emotionless face staring down at her. Demanding to know why she cried as she held her wounded abdomen. Insisting that her pain was nothing compared to losing her father.

"I was unaware that you had made friends. Your grandmother told me that you struggled with it in middle school. Now look at you; all grown up with your own love." Hikari's voice softened when she spoke the final sentence, her gaze softening as well. The coldness was still there, but now there was a strange fondness blending with it.

The girl's eyes lifted to meet her mother's, alarmed by what she had just insinuated. "…no…I…"

"And if I'm not mistaken…" Hikari walked around the two, the faintest of smiles tugging at her violet-painted lips. "Aren't you Todoroki's boy? My goodness." She put a hand over her mouth, eyes narrowing sheepishly. "Umetarou certainly would have gotten a kick out of this."

"We're not dating," Todoroki bluntly pointed out. He released Shirayuki's arm and stepped away, meeting the woman's critical gaze with a cold one of his own.

"Hm. We'll see. It would certainly be good for my little Ume, wouldn't it?" She turned away, stalking toward the house. "Ume, come along. I haven't eaten yet today. Oh, but, _of course_." Looking over her shoulder, she smirked. "Your friend there. How about we bring him along with us? I'm sure your father would approve, young man."

Shirayuki felt a chill run down her spine when her mother spoke. She bowed her head again and started to fidget with her hairband again. "…T-Todoroki-kun…I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…about my mother…you don't have to…please…"

"I don't. But I will." The boy's mouth set in a firm line and he reached over, grabbing her hand. "Let's go."

_Why? Why would you want to go? She's not nice. Todoroki-kun. _She let him lead her, but her nausea was getting worse now. She could not understand why he would want anything to do with this situation. He had the option of leaving. After all, Hikari was a stranger to him. He was in no way obligated to go to this dinner.

"I'm not making you go alone." The words were so quiet that Shirayuki almost thought that she had imagined him speaking until he looked over at her. "You're doing me a favor by taking care of my cat. I can at least do this for you."

_What?_ The boy's normally stoic expression briefly took on a melancholy that made her chest feel tight. _Does he…know what this is like? I've heard rumors about Endeavor. That he's not a nice person. Like how my mother is._


	35. Chapter 35

Waiting outside of Shirayuki's house, he frowned and checked the time. Shinsou had been standing there for at least twenty minutes. Given, he had arrived a bit earlier than usual, it was still strange that she was taking so long. She usually came outside shortly after he arrived.

Casting his gaze toward the front door, the boy released a sigh and ran a hand through his hair. _Should I ring for them or…?_ He tilted his head as the curtains opened in the kitchen. Seeing her grandmother peer out at him, he gave a small wave and saw her smile.

The old woman disappeared from sight and soon the front door was opening. "Come in, come in! I'm so glad to see you, Shinsou-kun!" she called, moving to open the gate as well.

He raised an eyebrow and glanced over his shoulder toward the street. _Are we still going to school? What's going on?_ Shinsou approached the gate with apprehension. "Is she okay?"

"Well, you know that her mother got to town yesterday," she started.

"Right…" Entering the house, he saw that Shirayuki's door was closed. A sinking feeling in his stomach told him that something was definitely wrong.

"Do you want some tea? I don't have any sweets, but-"

"No, that's okay. Thank you. Is Shirayuki…?"

The woman's smile dropped. "I'm afraid that Ume isn't doing so well today. Her mother may have said some harsh things to her yesterday, but she refuses to talk about it. She came home crying and locked herself in her room without saying a word. She hasn't come out yet. Not even for food. I just don't know what to do."

Shinsou felt a tightening in his chest as he heard this. Looking toward her door again, he could imagine her sitting on her bed and crying. He had found her that way before. It was not something that he wanted to see again.

"Could you try talking to her? I'm sure that if she'll talk to anyone, it's you." Her voice was soft, her words threaded with despair. It was only now that Shinsou noticed that the woman's eyes looked red from crying and she was clutching a handkerchief tightly with both hands.

"Can you…call the school for me, please? And tell them you're my grandmother and I'm too sick to go today?"

"Of course." She managed a small smile and nodded. "Yes, I'll do that. I'm so sorry, Shinsou-kun."

He waited until she was in the kitchen before he set his bag near the door. Staring at Shirayuki's room, he felt an anxious twisting in his stomach. It was almost as if he was afraid to open the door and see the state that she was in. At the same time, he knew that he had to do something. She was in pain. He just hoped that he could help her.

**Shift P.O.V**

She heard her grandmother talking to someone and she recognized Shinsou's voice immediately. Sinking deeper beneath her blanket, Shirayuki hugged her dragon plush tightly and closed her eyes. _I don't want him to see! I don't want anyone to see me like this! My mother…that woman…she's terrible!_

Her face burned as she remembered the humiliating incident at dinner the previous night. It brought fresh tears to her eyes and she lifted a hand to rub at her cheek. Biting back any mournful sounds that might escape, the girl buried her face in the soft fabric of her plush toy.

A quiet knock at the bedroom door made her jump. She lifted the blanket enough to peer out at the door and she chewed at her lower lip. _No! I can't see anyone right now!_ Yanking the blanket over her head again, she turned her back. "G-go away!" She hoped that her yell would be enough to drive away the potential visitor.

"It's me." Shinsou's voice penetrated the door and made her tears multiply. "Shirayuki, let me in."

"…I can't…let anyone see me…please…just go to school without me…"

There was a soft thud as he leaned against the door, followed by a sigh. "Your grandma called me in sick; I have all day to wait for you. Make this easier for both of us and just let me in."

_Is he…? Does he sound…angry?_ She curled up in a ball, every muscle tensing as she began to worry that he was mad at her. _I can't let him see. I don't want anyone to see this._

"Shirayuki. What happened last night?"

"…I-I said…" Shirayuki abruptly found herself opening the door for him and her knees grew weak. Trembling with fear, she bowed her head before he could look at her and hid the left side of her face behind her dark violet hair. _I should have put on a mask as soon as I got home! I don't want him to see this! And he…he used his quirk! He had to make me open the door!_

He saw her shaking and leaned down to try to meet her gaze. The girl turned her head to the side, sobbing quietly as tears rolled down the right side of her face. "What happened last night?" he repeated.

"…I don't…I don't w-want to…talk about it…please…Sh-Shinsou, I…shouldn't have gone…I shouldn't have t-trusted her, but she's…she's my mother and I…"

Shinsou moved to push her hair behind her ear and saw her violently jolt away from him. The girl backed up several steps, watching him with her visible right eye and shaking her head. "Shirayuki…"

"…I don't…want anyone to see…what she did to me…"

He saw her dart beneath the blankets on her bed and frowned. The girl was now hidden, but visibly trembling as the blankets shook. He could still hear her sobbing and it made his heart feel like it was being squeezed in a vice. It made his blood feel cold in his veins. He felt helpless in that moment and gazed back toward the door with a frown.

Rubbing the back of his neck, Shinsou closed the bedroom door and looked to the bed once more. Whatever had happened to her, she clearly wanted to avoid talking about it. It would only make her feel worse and the last thing he wanted to do was prolong her pain. He needed a way to make her feel better without bringing it up.

The boy crossed the room and gripped the edge of her blanket. "Hey. Move over a little bit."

"…wh-what…?" Her voice was a whisper as she stirred beneath the covers.

"Just…a little," he persisted, using a gentle tone. Thankfully, she obeyed. Shinsou settled beneath the blanket and curled up behind her, wrapping an arm around her waist. Her back pressed against his chest and he knew that she was probably blushing bright red, but at least he was distracting her from her trauma.

Shirayuki was still trembling, however she had stopped sobbing. The tears still slid down her cheeks and they were soaking into her pillow. _I'm crying this much in front of him. He probably thinks that I'm so weak…_

"I don't know what happened, but…I won't make you talk about it, okay? We can just lay here all day if that's what you want. I'm not leaving, though. It's too late anyway; your grandmother really did call me in sick."

She nodded once, clutching her dragon again. "…I-I'm sorry…that I'm acting like this…I can't stop crying and…I yelled at you…I shouldn't…be so weak…if I want to be a hero, but I just…c-can't stop crying…"

"You don't have to apologize." The arm around her waist tightened and he leaned down, burying his face in her dark hair. "I'm here all day," he reminded her. "I'm really tired though. Is it okay if I nap here?"

"…it's…it's fine…" The girl closed her eyes and nuzzled into her pillow, still blushing. His chest felt warm against her back, the hold around her waist making her feel safe and comfortable. Her heart was racing in her chest, but she still enjoyed being held by him.

_We've hugged before, but this is different. He's so close to me and he…smells really nice._ A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as she tried to relax. _This feels so nice._

**Shift P.O.V**

_Is she asleep?_ Shinsou remained silent, holding her against him and enjoying the quiet rhythm of her breathing. They had been close before, but this was different. His own heart was racing at the realization that he was lying in Shirayuki's bed, with her, holding her in his arms. A warmth spread through his body and he lifted his face from her hair.

The girl was very much asleep now. Her eyes were closed, lips parted slightly. What drew and held his attention, however, was the deep purple-black mark on her pale left cheek. There were a few strands of hair partially obscuring his view of it so he gently pushed them aside. His eyes narrowed as it became more visible.

Shirayuki had a large bruise covering her left cheek, in the shape of a hand. The sight of it filled him with rage and he gritted his teeth, glaring at the mark. He had known that she was hiding something, but he had no idea that it was this bad.

_Her mother did this to her. It's the only explanation._ Shinsou had to tear his gaze away from the bruise before he could do something rash. He wanted now more than ever to know what had happened at her dinner with her mother. _What could she possibly have done to deserve something like this?_

He ran his fingertips gently over the mark unable to stop himself. She remained asleep, but moved slightly in response to being touched. The boy frowned and settled behind her again, wrapping his arms around her tighter this time. Leaning his forehead against the back of her shoulder, Shinsou tried to calm himself enough to sleep.

It was proving difficult. He wanted to do something to make her feel better. Anything that could help her to forget about the pain her mother had inflicted upon her. His mind started to race with ideas as he tried to think of something that he could do for Shirayuki.

The girl moved in her sleep, turning onto her other side so she faced him. Now he had a better view of her sleeping face. The gentle expression she wore, the way her cheeks seemed to subconsciously flush in response to being so close to him. A smile pulled at his mouth and he closed his eyes.

"…love you…Shinsou…" she mumbled sleepily.

His eyes snapped open and saw that she was still asleep. It was still startling nonetheless. Heat was rising to his face and the blush was an alarming thing for him. _She…loves me?_


	36. Chapter 36

He could feel his pulse racing as he walked down the hallway toward the classroom. A blend of nervousness and anticipation made his stomach twist into knots. He just had to reassure himself that everything would be fine.

She had been out the previous day. Supposedly, she was out sick, but Todoroki had been gone as well. It was actually a little suspicious. He knew that their quiet, stoic classmate was keeping a kitten at her house so he had to wonder if something had happened to it. Maybe that was the real reason why they were both out at the same time.

_I shouldn't think about that! Worrying isn't manly! Taking action is manly! _He curled a hand into a fist and gave himself a reassuring nod.

Halfway to the classroom, he paused and started going through his bag to make sure that he had everything. A good quality chocolate bar with caramel center. A small, handwritten note. Both things tied together with a piece of yarn that he had found on his way home the previous day. It was perfect.

He hoped that it was perfect. Honestly, he had spent the past few days attempting to write that note. So much paper had been wasted by the time he was sure that he had it right. He had even used up two pens before he was satisfied.

Approaching the classroom, he took a deep breath and put on a smile. _Okay! I'm going to talk to her and tell her what I think! Everything is going to be great!_

The second that he was in the classroom, he froze up. She was there, sitting at her desk with her head bowed. Behind her, Bakugou was leaning forward in his seat and glaring at the book she held, trying to demand to know what it was about. The girl was clearly uncomfortable and seeing this made him angry.

Their first day of high school, he had developed a crush on her. She was quiet, cute, and polite. Ever since he first heard her voice, he had wanted to talk to her. He wanted to hear how it would sound if that soft voice laughed. He wanted to get her to smile. It had made him really happy when he finally did speak to her and they became friends so quickly.

Crossing the classroom, he flashed Shirayuki a grin and came to stand beside her desk. "Hey, Yuki-chan! Welcome back! Feeling better?"

The girl shyly looked up from her book, probably blushing behind her mask. She gave a slight nod and closed the book. "…um…I-I feel better…"

He was glad to hear it, but something seemed off. It was as she bowed her head that he glimpsed something beneath the edge of her mask. A purplish-black mark on her cheek that was mostly covered by the pale blue medical mask she was wearing.

_That's a bruise_, he immediately realized. The boy's heart dropped into his stomach upon seeing this and he glanced to Bakugou. The blond seemed to have not noticed the bruise or else he was sure that Bakugou would be raising hell about it. _She wasn't out sick yesterday._ _What did she get that bruise from?_

Though he had only seen a small hint of it, it still upset him. He hated to see her upset so to see her physically injured made his chest feel tight. The boy planted a hand on the girl's desk, frowning and tilting his head. "If you need anything, let me know, okay?"

"Back off, shitty hair."

"What? I'm her friend!"

"She's my girl so if she needs something-"

"…I'm…not dating you…" Shirayuki muttered, her eyebrows furrowing.

"You know she's dating that guy from class C," he agreed, his frown deepening. As much as he disliked it. As much as he wished that she had waited.

Before Bakugou could have a fit, Ashido and Kaminari joined them at Shirayuki's desk and greeted her. While they spoke to the girl about the upcoming sports festival, he kept his eyes on his crush. She was trying to act like nothing was wrong. She was trying so hard to convince them that everything was alright. As far as he could tell, the others failed to notice, but it was glaringly obvious to him.

She was afraid of something. Whatever had caused that bruise on her face had kept her from coming to school the previous day and he had a feeling that it involved Todoroki. Kirishima turned to look at the boy's desk and saw that Todoroki was there, but he was avoiding looking in their direction.

**Shift P.O.V**

Shirayuki stood in the cafeteria entrance for a long moment as she tried to decide what to do. She was able to get through her classes without taking off her mask, but she would need to remove it in order to eat. Skipping a meal was out of the question since she was prone to bouts of low blood sugar.

_I don't want anyone to see my bruise. I can't let anyone see it._ She nervously toyed with the hairband on her wrist and scanned the cafeteria for Shinsou. Sitting with her friends would be too embarrassing. She would hate for them to see her bruise so she told them that she wanted to eat with her boyfriend. Now she was unable to find him.

That morning, he had failed to show up to walk with her. He sent a message saying that he had something to do that morning so she had hoped to at least run into him in the corridor, but he was nowhere to be seen. It was almost as if he was avoiding her.

Biting the inside of her cheek, Shirayuki tried to at least find a seat where she could hide from everyone else. It was as she spotted an empty corner that she became aware of someone staring at her. The girl turned her head and jumped a little upon realizing that Kaminari was standing there. "…s-sorry…did you…did you say something…?"

"Nope!" He grinned and rubbed the back of his neck. "I mean, I was thinking about asking you to sit with us, but I didn't ask yet."

She bowed her head, letting dark violet strands fall forward around her face. "…I-I'm sorry, but…I don't…want to be around anyone…"

"I thought you were eating with your boyfriend."

"…um…I don't…know where he is…" she admitted.

"So sit with us. You need to eat, right?" Kaminari grinned and reached for her hand. "Come on. I'll grab some food for you and you can save the seats, okay?"

_My bruise…I can't let anyone see it._ She shook her head, but he was already leading her toward a table. "…K-Kaminari-kun…"

"We really missed you yesterday! Ashido and I wanted to go over to your place and visit you, but Kirishima said we should leave you alone if you're sick," he explained. "Here we go! Just wait here, okay? Be right back!"

Sitting alone at the table, she watched him walk to rejoin the others. Ashido waved at her and smiled, but Kirishima wore a look of concern. The girl slouched in her seat, but decided to stay. _If I just eat really quickly, maybe I can keep the bruise hidden from them._

**Shift P.O.V**

He hated to avoid her. He knew that she was probably worried, but it had to be done. After hearing her say that she loved him, Shinsou started to feel a bit strange about their relationship. He liked her a lot, but the word "love" was really strong and they had only been dating for a short while.

The boy had found a bathroom that was less popular with the other students and locked himself in a stall in order to avoid her. It was lunch time. Usually, he would love to sit with her and watch her enjoy her food. Instead, he was hiding from her. It left him with a heavy sense of guilt.

When he first heard her say those words, it filled him with so much warmth. The more he thought about it, though, the more he started to question if they were moving too fast. She had mumbled the confession in her sleep, but she had still said it. He had tried to act normal around her the rest of that day, but it was difficult. Now he was forced to ponder his feelings for her.

_I can't keep avoiding her_, Shinsou told himself. _I'll have to talk to her eventually. I don't want her to think I'm mad at her._ He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. _She probably doesn't even realize that she said it. This isn't fair to her. I just…can't see her again this soon._

**Shift P.O.V**

Shirayuki frowned behind her mask and fidgeted with her hair band. _What am I going to do? I don't want them to see it. Kaminari-kun was nice enough to get me food, but now I can't eat it without taking off my mask. _She was chewing the inside of her cheek in a panic, only stopping when she tasted blood.

Beside her, Kaminari was blissfully unaware of her worries. Across from her, Kirishima was frowning and quickly lowered his gaze when their eyes accidentally met. A faint, warm hue overtook his face in that instant and he pretended to cough, nudging Ashido's elbow.

The pink-haired girl had been scrolling through something on her phone and looked over curiously. "What's up?"

"Hey, you have makeup in your bag, right?" Kirishima spoke up.

"Uh…yeah. Why?"

He nodded toward Shirayuki, who was nervously toying with her hair band again. "I think Yuki-chan wanted to borrow some. Right, Yuki-chan?"

Her face went bright pink and she gave a small nod. _Did he…notice my bruise?! I thought my mask hid it! But that's…so nice of him to try to help me!_ The girl's crimson eyes began to well up with tears and she tried to subtly wipe them away before anyone could notice.

"Oh? You want to borrow some makeup? Want some help?" Ashido saw her nod again and then noticed the tears. Her gaze widened with recognition, seemingly realizing how nervous she was about the makeup. "Okay! We'll be right back, you guys! Let's go, Yuki-chan; we can finish lunch when we're done."

She was nervous to let Ashido see her bruise, but let her apply some makeup over it. Luckily, Ashido had some pale eyeshadow in her makeup bag that was a pretty good match for Shirayuki's skin tone. As she was finishing up, the dark-haired girl caught the look of worry in her friend's eyes. "…this…this wasn't from Shinsou…" she explained.

"I didn't think it was. Yuki-chan, he's always really sweet to you. I don't know where he is today, but I know he wouldn't hurt you like this. So do you want to talk about what happened?"

Fresh tears blurred her vision and she quickly moved to wipe them away before they could ruin the makeup that Ashido had applied. "…d-don't tell anyone…please…"

"Of course not! We're friends, Yuki-chan; friends keep each other's secrets."


	37. Chapter 37

"Your _mom_ did that?!"

Shirayuki winced at the other girl's exclamation and nodded slowly. "…it's…not as bad as it was though…"

"That's still not okay!" Ashido fumed and shook her head. "Yuki-chan, don't go anywhere with her again. I can't believe she did that to your face! There's no reason for that!"

She bowed her head, letting her hair fall to hide her face. Just mentioning a snippet of what had happened forced her to remember all that had occurred that night. Her mother had taken her and Todoroki to a restaurant for dinner. Everything seemed alright at first. Hikari was a little rude, but not nearly as cruel as she had been when Shirayuki was younger.

It was when she started to talk about a quirk marriage that Shirayuki suspected that something was wrong. Hikari spoke about her daughter marrying Endeavor's son and when she mentioned speaking to Todorki's father, the boy visibly tensed. Shirayuki then made a bold move. She told her mother that she was dating someone else and that she had no right to decide things for her.

Seconds after the words left her mouth, Hikari struck her across the face. Shirayuki was sent sprawling onto the floor and her mother coldly claimed that it was what her father would have wanted. That by speaking against Hikari, Shirayuki was showing disrespect toward her departed father.

The two teenagers were left alone at the restaurant after Hikari stormed out. Todoroki helped her stand and walked her home, but Shirayuki had been unable to face her grandmother. She was ashamed of having thought her mother had changed. It was only after Shinsou convinced her to leave her room that she actually told the old woman.

"…don't…tell anyone…please…" Her eyes filled with fresh tears, blurring her vision as she saw Ashido frown. Shirayuki tensed as her friend pulled her into a hug and she hesitantly hugged back.

"I promise; I won't tell anyone." The pink-haired girl drew back and saw Shirayuki try to carefully wipe away her tears without smudging the makeup on her cheek. "You know, Kirishima was the one that pointed out your bruise. I won't tell him what happened, but he looked pretty worried. You might want to tell him that you're alright."

She nodded and tried to calm herself down. _Kaminari-kun bought lunch for me. I need to go back before it gets cold. I don't want to upset him._ Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and let tranquility settle over her. Shirayuki put her mask back on and bowed slightly. "Th-thank you," she forced out.

Ashido grinned. "It's what friends are for! Next time you need something like that, just ask, okay? I'll help you out."

_Friends._ Shirayuki's pulse skipped a beat at the word and she began to smile behind her mask. The rest of the lunch period, she could feel her melancholic mood lifting. She ate her food without worry and thanked Kaminari over and over.

He smiled, seeing that he had helped to cheer her up. "No problem, Yuki-chan! You can make it up to me if you really want to though. I've been craving those cookies your grandma makes."

"…you…like those…?" They were simple cookies; nothing fancy. They were something that her grandmother used to always make with her when she first began to live with her. The cookies were linked to good memories. It made her heart feel kind of fluttery to know that someone enjoyed them as much as she did.

"Hey! I want to try some, too!" Kirishima chimed in.

Blushing faintly, she nodded once. "…I…could bring some tomorrow…"

"That would be great," her blond friend agreed.

"Hey, so…Yuki-chan, are you walking home with your boyfriend today?"

The other three turned to look at Kirishima curiously. Shirayuki's smile fell, though none of them could see it. She began to fidget with her hair band and shook her head. "…he's…busy today…he told me this morning…before and after school…"

"We should hang out then! I mean, if you want to. We could all meet up and get ice cream or something." The red-haired boy rubbed the back of his neck, his enthusiasm faltering when he realized how it sounded. "I mean, all of us can go. That's what I said."

A sheepish grin crossed Kaminari's face and Ashido raised an eyebrow. Shirayuki tilted her head a bit and saw a faint warmth rise to her classmate's face. "…that…sounds good…" she agreed.

"It does, right?!"

"I guess we could do that," Ashido replied with a nod. "We'll meet up at the ice cream place in Yuki-chan's neighborhood so she won't have to take the train, okay?"

**Shift P.O.V**

_She loves me?_ Shinsou felt his pulse quicken as this thought crossed his mind yet again as he sat at his desk. His attention was still on the girl's words from the day before. Half-asleep or not, she had still said those words and they still had an effect on him. Each time he thought about it, his heart started to pound.

He first developed a crush on her in their last year of middle school. Back then, he simply watched her from a distance. She had been a nervous, timid person since he first met her so he was afraid of scaring her off.

Since they began dating, his feelings had deepened considerably. He liked everything about Shirayuki; her shy little smiles, her love of animals, the way her voice got a bit higher when she talked about something she enjoyed, how adamant she was about pet safety, and her enthusiasm when it came to food. Each little thing, he found cute. Each little thing made him happy.

Having never felt so strongly about a girl before, Shinsou had no idea if this was what it felt like to be in love. He was still young. People their age tended to date in high school, but grow apart as they got older. A sad, painful reality. The idea of falling in love with her, only to lose her after graduation, made him frown.

The boy bowed his head and scribbled something in the margin of his notes, trying to focus on the lesson and failing. Until he knew if this was love, he would feel guilt gnawing at him. More painful than the thought of loving and losing her was the thought of her loving him, but him being unable to feel the same way.

**Shift P.O.V**

_Shinsou…isn't responding._ Her shoulders drooped, a frown tugging at her lips. Sitting on her bed, Shirayuki stared at her phone screen and contemplated calling him. _I don't want to bother him. Did I do something wrong though? He isn't even replying now._

Falling onto her back on the bed, she reached for her dragon plush and hugged it to her chest. Closing her eyes, the girl tried to remember everything that she had said and done the previous day. Searching her memory for anything that might have offended him in some way.

She had refused to let him into her room and he used his quirk to make her finally open the door. That was one thing that could have potentially upset him. He had taken a nap with her and when they woke up, they watched movies and ate snacks in the siting room.

_I should have just let him in, _she thought mournfully._ Now he's mad at me. I know it. I was just…I didn't want him to see my bruise._ Shirayuki heard her grandmother talking to someone and pushed herself to sit up.

Footsteps approached her door and finally there was a knock. Her heart began to race as she got up to answer it and when she saw Kirishima's smile, she was not disappointed. As much as she wanted to see Shinsou, her friends were being incredibly supportive in trying to cheer her up.

"…you…you're early…um…I thought we were…going to meet there…?"

"I wanted to make sure you were okay," he confessed. The boy looked past her into the room and his smile grew. "You have, like, four cats on your bed."

She looked over her shoulder and blushed with embarrassment. "…y-yes…I…let them kind of take over…" she admitted.

"You really love cats, huh? Is that a dragon stuffed animal? That's pretty cool!" Kirishima saw her begin to fidget and frowned, looking a bit guilty. "Uh…so sorry about that thing at lunch. I just…well you looked kind of down and…I know you probably didn't want anyone to see that mark. Sorry! I shouldn't even bring it up! I just wanted to apologize for-!"

"N-no!" Shirayuki saw his eyes widen and bowed her head. "…um…I…I was happy…that Ashido-chan helped me…and…um…y-you're the only one…that noticed so…I wanted to say thank you…"

The boy flushed pink and turned his head to the side, looking away. "I just wanted to help," he muttered, embarrassed. "Um...okay, listen. So I wanted to give this to you this morning and I know the timing is really bad, but here!" He drew forth something from his pocket and held it out to her, still unable to look at her.

She stared down at the offering, hesitantly reaching out to take it. The gift was a high quality chocolate bar with caramel filling, but there was a carefully folded note tied to it with a piece of yarn. Taking it in both hands, she tilted her head slightly. "…thank you…Kirishima-kun…"

His face was turning as red as his hair now and he glanced toward her. "Wait until tonight to read it, okay? I'm not ready for you to read it yet."

"…okay…?" Shirayuki set it on her desk and felt her stomach growl at the very thought of enjoying the chocolate bar. It was a brand that she knew to be extremely good and it tended to be a bit pricey. The thought that he had gone to the trouble of getting her such a gift made her feel both happy and a bit guilty. "…I…don't have a gift for you…"

Kirishima held up his hands and smiled. "It's fine! Don't worry about giving me anything, okay? I wanted you to have something really good. Just promise that you'll read the note tonight."

"…ah…alright…"

"Ume? Dear, you have another a visitor," her grandmother called. She shuffled along to Shirayuki's door and displayed a rather sour expression. "It's that rude young man that took the black kitten. Do you want me to send him away?"

Shirayuki felt her heart drop into her stomach and she hurriedly put on one of her masks. _He won't go away if Grandma just tells him to. _She could still remember the time that Bakugou showed up at her window and demanded that she go with him for vocal training. "…i-it's okay…um…we were…actually going to meet Ashido-chan and Kaminari-kun…so…"

"Don't worry, Granny. I'll protect Yuki-chan," Kirishima assured the old woman. He grinned and took his friend by the hand, leading her to the door.

"…th-thank you…Kirishima-kun…"


	38. Chapter 38

_He's mad at me, isn't he?_ Shirayuki felt a tightening in her chest as she stared down at her phone's screen. No new messages. Not even a read receipt. It almost seemed like he might have shut his phone off or blocked her number. Though the thought of that happening was unbearable.

Around her, the girl's friends were talking about the sports festival and how excited they were for it. Everyone seemed to be in good spirits, with the exception of herself and their explosive classmate. However, Shirayuki was too distracted by Shinsou's lack of responses to notice Bakugou's fouler than usual mood.

It was only when they approached the ice cream shop that her attention was brought from the phone screen to her surroundings. She felt warmth against her palm, fingers laced with hers. Shirayuki looked down at the hand holding onto hers and then up along his arm to his smiling face. Kirishima had been talking to the others and pondering what flavor of ice cream to get, but he had been holding her hand since they left her house.

He caught her looking and flushed pink, rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand. "Hey, Yuki-chan, what flavor do you want? I'll buy yours."

"…ah…I…I couldn't…um…I'll get mine…thank you…I still appreciate it…" Behind her mask, she found herself smiling. _Shinsou might be mad, but…at least I still have my friends. If I didn't have them, I don't know what I'd do._

"Like hell I'd let you get hers." Bakugou nudged past them both to the selection of flavors and glared down at the various options until he seemed satisfied. "I want that one," he said, pointing at one. "And she's gonna have this one."

"At least let her pick out her flavor," Kirishima argued.

"Shut up! I know what Ume likes. She's gonna like this one."

"Hey, so, what should we do after the sports festival? I feel like we should all go do something fun," Ashido spoke up, trying to redirect everyone's attention.

"What? Like a party?" Kaminari beamed, clearly excited by the idea.

"Nothing big. I mean, just like karaoke level celebrating or something. Maybe we could plan a whole day! What do you think, Yuki-chan? Or do you already have plans?"

Shirayuki had been checking her phone again and froze, blinking in surprise. "…oh…um…n-no…I don't have plans…" She and Shinsou had briefly discussed going somewhere together, but never made concrete plans. Now that he was no longer replying to her messages, she feared that he may be planning to break up with her. If he would just say something, the girl would feel just a little bit better.

Kirishima's hand gave hers a gentle squeeze and when she looked from the screen to her friend, he displayed a rather concerned expression. "Hey. Are you okay?"

"…y-yeah…sorry…um…" She pushed her phone into her pocket, guilt twisting in her gut. _I'm making my friends worry. It isn't fair. I shouldn't bother them like this. Why can't I just stop worrying? If Shinsou-kun is mad at me…then all I can do is wait for him to tell me why and try to make things right._ She tugged at her mask, drawing it up a bit more and adjusting it.

Ashido frowned and put a hand on her shoulder. "Yuki-chan, it's okay. You don't have to apologize."

"…ngh…" Biting her lip behind her mask, she could feel tears welling in her eyes. Her vision went blurry and she bowed her head. "…I…I need to go outside…I'm sorry…I won't be gone long…I just…ah…"

"It's fine. Take all the time you need. We'll come out soon," Kaminari assured her, smiling sweetly.

Shirayuki went outside just as the tears began to fall. They soaked into her mask and made it stick to her cheeks, but she refused to remove it. She anxiously fidgeted with the hairband on her wrist, not sure of what else to do. Shinsou usually comforted her when she felt this anxious, but this time he was ignoring her and causing her unease.

_What should I do? If he's ignoring my messages, he would hate me if I went to his home to try to talk to him. Should I try to see him at school or will he just get angrier? Why won't he say anything? _She trembled, choking back sobs as she slowly wrapped her arms around herself. The girl felt utterly helpless. Nothing she could do seemed like it would work.

Her heart was beating hard and fast, stomach beginning to hurt as if she had been punched. Panic, despair, confusion. It all blended into a sensation that made her just want to scream and run. The tears multiplied as she bowed her head, closing her eyes to try to calm herself.

"Ume!"

She jumped, startled by the sound of her classmate's voice right beside her ear. "…uh…wh-what…um…?"

Bakugou glared down at her, holding two ice cream cones. When he saw that she had been crying, his eyes narrowed further. He gave her a beckoning nod, mouth twisted into a scowl. "Come on."

"…what…?" Shirayuki looked past him and saw a bench. She hesitantly followed him, her stomach still aching and heart still pounding. There were still tears running down her face, Shinsou still heavily on her mind.

**Shift P.O.V**

He hated this feeling. It was not something that he was used to experiencing, but here it was. Seeing her cry stirred something within him. A strong desire to protect her, to make the tears stop. Although, he had seen it earlier that day.

Since that morning, she had seemed down about something. Bakugou had no desire to bring it up in front of everyone else, though. His plan had been to go to her house after school to confront her about it. If someone was bullying her or making her upset, he decided that he would take action. No one was going to make his girl cry.

She was sitting beside him on the bench now, trembling and crying. Practically hiccupping. Bakugou had seen her upset before, but never to this extent. It frustrated him and he was now determined to make her feel better. Holding out the ice cream he bought for her, he frowned. "Here. I got you this."

The girl accepted the cone from him and stared at it, crimson eyes shining wetly. "…th-thank…you…" she mumbled.

He began eating his own frozen treat, slouching a bit on his side of the bench and watching her from the corner of his eye. She was just sitting there, staring at the sweet. With a frustrated growl, he reached over and pulled down her mask. "I got that for you! Eat it before it melts!"

"…r-right…I'm sorry…" Shirayuki's pale pink lips parted and she began licking the ice cream.

As he watched, he saw a flush of pink rise to her cheeks and her mouth curled into a faint smile. "You like that?"

"…y-yeah…it's…this is really good…"

Bakugou leaned back in his seat, smirking with satisfaction. "Damn right it is! I picked that out 'cause I knew you'd like it!" He was proud of himself now. Of course she would like the flavor he picked out. _She should be impressed! I know her way better than she thinks! I know her way better than that shitty hair!_

She continued to enjoy the ice cream, the smile not once leaving her face. The way she took such delight in something so simple was one of the things he liked about her. It was just ice cream, but it was enough to push her sadness away. Not just ice cream, but every time she ate. She always had this sparkle to her eyes as if she had just stumbled across the best thing in the world. He hated it, but it was undeniably cute.

"Quit crying, got it?" He saw her bow her head, clearly embarrassed that he had seen her in such a troubled state. "So whose ass do I have to kick?"

The girl paused in her eating, eyes going wide. "…ah…what…?"

"If someone pissed you off and made you cry, tell me who it was so I can kick their ass! I'm not gonna let someone get away with that!" Bakugou turned to glare and saw her tears beginning to form again. "Damn it. Whatever. I'll find out anyway."

Turning to look at her, he felt his anger spike. Not because she was crying. It was because he saw something odd. A pale sort of smudge over a dark patch. He recognized that color immediately and knew what he was looking at. She had a bruise on her cheek and had tried to cover it with makeup.

_What the hell?! Who hit her?_ The boy gritted his teeth, wanting to punch something. Wanting to find whoever did this to her so he could punch their face in. However, instead of sprinting off to do this, he resolved to do something else. Moving closer to her, he wrapped his left arm around her shoulders and pulled the girl against his side so her leg pressed against his.

"…w-wait…"

"Quit squirming! You want me to really give you something to blush about?"

**Shift P.O.V**

_Is he…is Bakugou-kun…trying to cheer me up?_ It was an odd thought and she almost wanted to dismiss it entirely, but all signs pointed to this being his attempt at making her feel better. He bought her ice cream, even picked out a really delicious flavor for her, and then came outside to keep her company until the others came out. The warmth against her side made her blush red, but it did comfort her in an odd sort of way.

"There you are, Yuki-chan! Hey, check out the flavor I got! It's got cookie pieces in it!" Kirishima excitedly sat on her other side, completely ignoring the arm that was wrapped around her shoulders.

"…that…that looks _delicious_…" Her eyes went wide upon seeing the ice cream. It was vanilla, but had swirls of chocolate ribbon and pieces of chocolate chip cookies. Just the sight of it made her feel like she might drool.

"Wow! Yours looks pretty good, too! Hey, can I have a taste? You can have a bite of mine, if you want." The red-haired boy held out his ice cream toward her, grinning and displaying his sharp teeth.

"…ah…o-okay…just…um…h-here…" Shirayuki leaned down a bit, taking a lick from the side and lower than where he had already bitten into it. Blushing crimson as her eyes, she savored the sweet flavor and the creamy yet crunchy texture. "…it's…it's really good, Kirishima-kun…"

"Okay! Now me!" His free hand took her wrist and lifted her cone up to his face. The boy licked directly from the top, where she had been eating from just seconds ago. He saw her blushing and his grin grew. "Yours tastes awesome, Yuki!"


	39. Chapter 39

"Oh! Shinsou-kun, good evening!"

Hearing the friendly voice call to him from behind, he looked over his shoulder at the house and lifted a hand in greeting. After debating with himself, he had decided that he needed to see Shirayuki. He was determined that he would talk to her, let her know how he really felt. However, upon reaching her house, he found himself just loitering out in front of her gate as his courage failed him.

The old woman came out to the gate, smiling in that welcoming way she always greeted him. "Are you here to see Ume?"

"Is she busy?" he asked with hesitation. He rubbed the back of his neck, looking past the woman toward the house. Shinsou half-expected Shirayuki to come to the door, holding a cat and smiling shyly behind her mask. Unfortunately, there was no sign of movement at the door.

"I'm sorry, Shinsou-kun. She went out with some friends." She frowned and raised an eyebrow. "I'm surprised though. It's not really like her to go off for so long. And she's usually with you, isn't she?"

The boy frowned and lowered his gaze to the sidewalk. "Yeah."

"Did you two have a disagreement? Ume seems kind of down lately."

A tightness began to form in his chest and Shinsou tensed. "No…" Although he sounded unsure. He felt unsure. Hearing that she had been acting upset made him feel guilty and he started to wonder if Shirayuki thought they were fighting.

"Did she say when she would be back?" He tried to keep his tone calm, but he felt his pulse quickening. The more he thought about it, the more distraught he became. All this time, he had separated himself from her so he could sort through his own feelings without considering hers.

The old woman shook her head and looked off down the sidewalk. "Didn't say. Do you want me to have her call you when she gets home?"

"Thank you." He bowed slightly in farewell and started walking down the sidewalk again. Shinsou dug in his pocket for his phone, frowning as he looked at his messages. There were over twenty messages from Shirayuki; all unopened as he had stopped checking his phone in his effort to distance himself.

As he read through her messages, he felt himself becoming more upset. She was clearly upset. Hurting. It was his fault. He clutched his phone tighter and his thumb hovered above the screen, hesitating to send her a message. A sick feeling settled in his stomach and he sighed, running his free hand through his wild indigo hair.

He had to do something. He had to make it up to her somehow. He had to reassure her that he was not mad at her. It was his fault. Shinsou looked over his shoulder, in the direction of her house, and saw her grandmother wave. He waved back casually and continued walking home. Promising himself that he would talk to Shirayuki the next day.

**Shift P.O.V**

It was getting late. The sun had mostly set and Shirayuki was starting to feel just a bit chilled from the evening air. Still, she forced herself to keep walking. There was no other option now.

The hand gripping hers, towing her down the pathway, felt warm and the grip was surprisingly gentle. The owner of this hand was walking ahead of her, navigating to a good place where no one would bother them. When he was finally satisfied that they had gone far enough, Bakugou smirked. "Okay, let me hear it!"

She had been walking with her head down and now cast a timid glance in his direction. The reason why she was here, why she had followed her loud and explosive classmate into a wooded area, was to release some stress. That was how he had worded it, anyway. It made her nervous, but she remembered how it felt the last time she trained with him. Thinking back on it, it had been terrifying, but it did give her a sense of strength and control.

"…I don't…want to do…what you say…" she mumbled.

"C'mon! Louder than that! You think anyone would respect you if you said it like that?!" he demanded. Bakugou was determined to push her. He wanted her to yell to release pent up anxiety. He knew that she was still upset and he wanted to be the one that could make her finally stop crying.

"I don't…want to do what you say," Shirayuki repeated. Her hands curled into fists now that he had let go. Her words were still muffled due to her mask, but she was not about to take it off. It was embarrassing enough to be yelling in the middle of a forested area without having her whole face exposed.

"Louder!"

"…I can't…"

The boy growled and stormed toward her. He reached out quickly, grabbing her mask and tearing it off. "C'mon! Doesn't that piss you off?! Defend yourself!"

"Don't touch my mask!" she blurted out. Both hands lifted and slammed against his shoulders, shoving him back so he stumbled a step away from her. Shirayuki's heart was racing as she blinked in alarm, the cool night air against her mouth and nose now that they were exposed.

Bakugou's smirk grew, despite the fact that she pushed him away. "Say it again! I want to hear you yell!"

"…ngh…" The girl's vision blurred with tears of frustration. _I'm training to become a hero! I have to be strong! I have to show the world I can be fearless_! _Yelling is normal! Talking is normal! I can…do this!_ She took a deep breath, heat already rising to her cheeks.

"I DON'T HAVE TO DO WHAT YOU SAY! YOU CAN'T TREAT ME THAT WAY! YOU DON'T KNOW THE REAL ME! YOU CAN'T DISAPPEAR FOR YEARS AND COME BACK AND PRETEND THAT YOU'RE MY MOTHER! YOU'RE NOT A MOTHER! MOTHERS DON'T SCREAM AT THEIR KIDS! MOTHERS DON'T HURT THEIR KIDS AND TRY TO FORCE THEM TO MARRY THEIR CLASSMATES!"

Her voice was loud and almost seemed to echo through the forested area. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she panted and collapsed to her knees on the ground. Shirayuki wrapped her arms around herself, biting her lip to stop herself from blurting out more. There was so much that she wanted to scream at the sky, but she had embarrassed herself enough.

Bakugou stared down at her in a mix of extreme confusion and anger. He had looked almost content when she began shouting, but the more she said, the more perplexed he became. Especially when she said the last sentence. It was sinking in quickly and the boy scowled.

"What the hell are you talking about?" he demanded in a snarl. "Ume! What the hell did your mom do?"

She bowed her head, her long dark violet hair falling around her face. "…m-my mother…" The girl felt her energy fading. Attempting to stand had her falling against the nearest tree trunk and she frowned. "…she…wanted me to…m-marry…she wanted me to marry…Todoroki-san, but…I told her "no" and she…um…she got angry…"

He saw her subconsciously lift a hand to her cheek. To the pale smudge that barely concealed the dark bruise that was there. Fury burned in his eyes as he came toward her again. He thrust a hand in her direction and gave her an expectant stare until she timidly put her hand in his.

The boy pulled her to stand and caught her when her knees buckled. "Damn it. Fine! Just get on!" Bakugou turned so his back was to her and crouched down. "C'mon! Don't make me wait!"

"…ah…you don't…have to…Bakugou-kun, I…I can walk…please…I just n-need some time…to calm down…"

"Get on, damn it! I'm carrying you whether you like it or not, Ume!"

It was beyond embarrassing to be carried piggyback. Shirayuki had not been carried that way since she was very young. Since before her father died. A tightness formed in her chest as he carried her down the path. He felt warm, despite the night chill. It was comforting and almost enough to help her forget how embarrassing her current position was.

When they reached her house, he let her down and grumpily told her that she had to be louder. She shyly nodded and tried to retrieve her mask from him, but Bakugou shoved it into his pocket before she could grasp it. "…I need…my mask…" she quietly argued.

"What? Is this one your _favorite_?" he taunted. Seeing her nod, he grinned wickedly. "Well it's _mine_ now. Consider it payment for carrying you here."

Shirayuki was a little upset at the loss of her favorite mask. It went with almost any outfit and it was made of a particularly soft material. Turning toward her house, she decided to just be glad that he had let the evening end instead of drawing it out. As good as it felt to scream and release her frustration, there was only so much she could handle.

Her grandmother had gone to bed already and most of the cats were already dozing. She moved as quietly as she could to her room, closing the door behind her. Shirayuki changed into her pajamas and was about to go to bed when her eyes landed on the chocolate bar on her desk. More specifically on the folded note that lay on top of it.

She grabbed the piece of paper and sat on her bed to read it. The girl remembered how Kirishima had told her specifically to wait to read it at the end of the day. To be sure that she read the whole note.

As her eyes skimmed over the words, she felt a fluttery sort of sensation in her chest. This declaration of his feelings made her smile and she pressed a hand over her heart. It was such a simple little note, but the words were so impactful.

He had written: "Yuki. I've liked you since the first day of school. You're awesome and you're cute! I want to make you smile every day! But I know you like someone else. I just didn't want to keep my feelings a secret forever. I really like being your friend and if you need anything, I want you to ask me for help, okay?"

_Kirishima-kun…he's so nice. All of my friends are so nice. I don't deserve to be friends with people this wonderful._ Shoulders trembling with the effort to not cry from happiness, she slid her hand up from her heart to cover her mouth. Fresh tears spilled down her cheeks as bliss settled over her.

Shirayuki fell onto her back on her bed, grabbing her dragon stuffed animal and hugging it tightly. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Everything that was going on right now was so stressful, so terrifying. Yet she felt hope that it would all clear up soon. With such wonderful friends cheering her on, it was hard to stay sad.

_Kirishima-kun. I'll…make him some cookies_, she decided with a smile. His words made her feel bubbly. Warm. Content. The smile could not be wiped from her face. Until she decided she would have to confront Shinsou.


	40. Chapter 40

NeonHorizon: A very special, slightly longer than usual chapter! Posted on the day season four starts! Hooray for **FRIENDSHIP**!

* * *

Shirayuki finished packing the little bags of cookies into her school bag and paused. She felt an anxious twisting in her stomach when she thought about confronting Shinsou, but it had to happen. Things had to change.

_I…have to be brave. _She drew her mask up to conceal the lower half of her face and bid her grandmother and the cats farewell. It was as she was walking out the door that the girl's little bit of bravery was obliterated.

Spotting the indigo-haired boy standing near the gate, she was so taken aback that she stumbled and nearly fell forward onto her face. Shirayuki caught herself and felt her face instantly heat with a blush. "…Sh-Shinsou…ah…um…"

He had a hand on the gate now, as if he had wanted to go to help, but stopped himself. Turning his head to the side, he looked off down the street. "Are you okay?" he inquired, acting almost as if he might also be embarrassed.

The girl nodded and made her way to the gate at a slow pace. It felt like a year since they last spoke. She opened the gate to get to the sidewalk and suddenly wished that she had made cookies for him as well. _I didn't know he would be here. He doesn't look angry, but…he's not looking at me. Why?_

"Ready to go?" Shinsou was still looking off down the street.

She nodded, but then realized that he was unable to see it. "…y-yes…"

The atmosphere around them was incredibly tense. It felt like they both had something that they wanted to say, but neither wanted to go first because they were afraid. Shirayuki would glance over at Shinsou in hopes of summoning forth enough courage to speak, but when she saw him swiftly looking away from her, her bravery faltered.

Someone needed to speak first if anything was going to happen. Unfortunately, they seemed to be stuck in this silent stand-off. The girl absently fidgeted with her mask, tugging it up a bit more when it began to slip.

"Is that a new mask?" Shinsou finally turned his head in her direction and focused his tired gaze upon the design.

"…yes…my grandmother…made me some new ones…" The mask was pink with butterflies printed on it in different colors. She had wanted to wear her favorite mask, but it had been taken by Bakugou the night before. _My favorite mask…and I had to explain to my grandmother why it was gone._

"It's nice," he commented, a very faint pinkish hue rising to his face. So subtle that it would have easily gone unnoticed by anyone else.

The two boarded the train and Shirayuki stood beside him. She left some space between them since he was still acting sort of distant. Almost like he was reluctant to be there. The thought of that made her bite the inside of her cheek.

Bowing her head, she tried to draw forth some courage again. She remembered when she screamed all of her anger and sadness in the forest and that memory gave her a bit of power. It had felt so exhilarating to just release those emotions. Now she was able to recapture just a hint of that sensation and she nodded to herself.

"…Shinsou…are you…mad at me…?"

The boy blinked in alarm and frowned. He saw her lift her eyes and for an instant indigo met crimson. Shinsou rubbed the back of his neck and shook his head, letting his eyes slide closed during the gesture. "Of course not."

"…you haven't spoken to me…you haven't…replied…to my messages…you've been avoiding me so…I thought…I-I thought you were mad and…" She could feel the tears forming in her eyes. Her vision blurred, eyes burning slightly as she lifted a trembling hand to rub at her right eye.

To her surprise, an arm wrapped around her. A hand pressed at her back, pushing her against him, and Shirayuki's tears dotted the front of his blazer. "…Sh-Shinsou…?"

He was silent for a moment as he simply held her. When he finally spoke, there was a hint of pain in his voice. "I don't think I could ever get mad at you," he confessed. "I was…distracted by something. I should've considered your feelings and just told you what it was, but I wasn't thinking. I'm sorry."

Her heart skipped a beat and she stepped back, forcing herself to tilt her head so she could look up at him. "…distracted…by what…?"

Shinsou considered his reply for a moment and frowned guiltily. "I thought I was ready to talk about this, but I'm not. I'm sorry. Look, I'm not mad at you. Shirayuki, you're…" He hesitated and turned his head to the side again. "You're really important to me. And I hate seeing you cry."

The two teenagers stayed this way for a most of the train ride and when they had to part ways, it was with reluctance. Shirayuki went on her way to class and felt anxiety twisting in her stomach again. She had wanted to tell him how upset she was. How she wished he would have just talked to her instead of closing her out and avoiding her.

_He won't tell me what's wrong. Does he…not trust me?_ The girl pondered this as she entered the lunch room with her friends. She sat at their table with them, and the bags of cookies were distributed. "…this is…for yesterday…for trying to cheer me up…um…they're just butter cookies, but…I thought…"

Kaminari wasted no time in tearing open his bag and helping himself to a few cookies. "Whoa! These are better than your grandma's cookies!"

"What the hell? Why'd her grandma make you cookies?!" Bakugou demanded. He had taken the seat on Shirayuki's right before anyone else could and glared at Kaminari when it was suggested that he move.

On Shirayuki's left was Kirishima, who took a bite of a cookie and grinned. "These are awesome, Yuki-chan! You made these yourself?"

The compliment made her a little more flustered than usual, after having read his note, confessing his feelings. When their eyes briefly met, the girl quickly looked away and found herself blushing bright pink. "…y-yes…I made them…"

"You're the best, Yuki-chan!"

"She only made extras so you idiots wouldn't whine when _I_ got some," the boy on her right grumbled. With that said, he gave her an expectant glare and held out his hand. When she hesitated, his glare intensified.

_I didn't make any for him…_Shirayuki stared down at his hand and reached a trembling hand to her pocket. She usually kept at least a few small candies on her in case of a blood sugar crash. They would have to do as an offering. The girl's pale fingers drew forth a few mint lavender candies and she deposited them into his open palm, her head bowed.

"Oh, wow! Bakugou, you're pretty lucky. Those are from her private stash," Kirishima remarked with a grin.

"Whatever. Next time I expect something better than cookies, got it, Ume?" He seemed to ponder it for a moment and then smirked. "Make me a bento for tomorrow."

The next day was, in fact, the sports festival. A day she was dreading due in part to the fact that most of Japan would be watching, but mostly because her mother would be there. So, in her distraction over the fear, she simply nodded without thinking. It was only when the others acted surprised that she noticed.

The rest of the day, she was distraught over thoughts of her mother attending the sports festival. The memory of what her mother had said, what she did, were still vivid in her mind. It made her lift a hand to subconsciously touch the still healing bruise on her cheek. Ashido had helped her how to put makeup over it again, but it still felt like everyone knew.

_Mother. No…she's not a mother. Hikari-san. She's going to be at the festival. I don't want to see her. I don't want her to talk to me. Grandma won't be there though. She can't stop Hikari-san from approaching me. What am I going to do?_

Shirayuki was walking down the hallway after class, separate from her friends since she planned to meet with Shinsou to walk home. Kirishima, being the sweet and wonderful friend that he was, had taken Bakugou off in a completely different direction to keep him distracted. She had her head down, fingers nervously fidgeting with her bag as she neared the entrance. It really felt like a hopeless situation when she thought more on it. She was too afraid to approach her teacher about the subject, even if he might be able to do something to keep Hikari away from her. It was embarrassing to hide from her own mother.

A voice called behind her as she stepped outside, but went unnoticed. She continued walking at a slow pace without thinking about it. She needed to reach the gate before Bakugou could realize he was being distracted on purpose and look for her. Shinsou would know where she was though. Again, that voice called from behind and it was followed by rapid footsteps this time.

Again, the voice went unnoticed as dread swirled in her mind. It was only when her shoulder was gently grabbed that she noticed and it made her jolt. Shirayuki trembled as she looked up at the boy standing in front of her now.

He was tall. Muscled. Blond. Wearing a smile that was friendly in the most nonthreatening way one could imagine. A hero's smile. He actually sort of reminded her of All Might and it made the girl tilt her head slightly.

"Hi! You're a first year, right? What's your name? What class are you in?" Even his voice sounded cheerful, warm. Friendlier than most. Almost like an excitable dog wagging its tail and barking at a potential new friend.

She stared at him in a bit of a daze and finally summoned forth her voice. "…Sh-Shirayuki Ume…class 1-A…" Her voice was quieter than usual, her face turning red from the embarrassment of speaking to a stranger in front of various other strangers. He was definitely drawing attention to her and it made her stomach hurt with nervousness.

"Togata Mirio. I'm a third year." His smile grew a little. "You're pretty shy, huh? But you're training to become a hero! That's awesome! I'm sure you're going to be great!"

"…th-thank you…Togata-san…" Shirayuki was still really confused as to why this weirdly nice stranger had approached her out of nowhere. _Have we met before? I don't know…if I've seen him before. Blond hair and blue eyes aren't that common, but…_

"Hey, Tamaki! Come over here; she won't bite!"

She realized that he was calling to someone behind her and turned. Walking at a hesitant pace was another boy that was taller than her and definitely not a first year student. He had his head down, hands in his pockets as he approached with caution. _Who…?_

When he reached them, he was visibly shaking. This boy looked every bit as nervous as she felt and when he lifted his gaze from the ground, his dark indigo eyes were narrowed as if he was angry. His mouth was twisted into an anxious sort of frown as he more or less glared. The boy's hair was longer in the front and shorter in the back, a dark indigo hue like his eyes. His ears were what drew and held her attention when his glare became too scary to meet. His pointed, long ears that resembled those of a fairy or elf from her old folklore books.

"Tamaki, this is Shirayuki Ume. She's in class 1-A. Shirayuki, this is Amajiki Tamaki. He's a third year like I am. Okay! **_Friendship_**! Go!"

_What?_ Shirayuki blinked, a little alarmed by that last part of what he said. She looked at the dark-haired boy and realized that he did not seem like he would actually speak first. Still puzzled, but remembering the manners her grandmother had taught her, she bowed. "…it's…it's very nice to meet you…Amajiki-san…"

He blinked as well when she spoke and gave the tiniest of bows. He glanced over at Togata, almost as if looking for reassurance, and then back to Shirayuki. "Y-yeah…nice to meet you…"

This whole time Togata had been smiling, but now it faded. A hand rested on Amajiki's right shoulder and Shirayuki's left shoulder. Togata shook his head, frowning. "Come on now! You have to try better than that!"

"I can't…it's too difficult…I keep trying to picture something else, but…"

"Okay, I'll start then! Tamaki really likes your mask, Shirayuki. Those are monarch butterflies, right? Where'd you get it?"

_My mask…?_ She subconsciously reached up to her mask and flushed pink behind it. "…ah…um…m-my grandmother made it…she makes all of my masks…"

Togata smiled warmly, clearly pleased. "That's sweet! So you must really like monarch butterflies, right?"

"Th-they're not…" Amajiki paused, his frown growing deeper. It quickly became apparent that Togata was trying to ease him into a conversation he was comfortable with. "They're not all monarchs."

"Huh? Wait, so what are they?"

Shirayuki's own knowledge of butterflies was less than impressive, but she listened to him name off the various types that her grandmother had embroidered on her mask. It was clearly something that he liked and he seemed much more comfortable talking about butterflies than casual small talk. _We're…similar. He's like me. He doesn't know what to say and…we're both still shaking._

"Oh! Tamaki, we've got to go; it's getting late," Togata reluctantly interrupted. "We work with some hero agencies so-"

"Um…Sh-Shirayuki…your father was Calorie Bomb…right?" Amajiki saw her nod and he nodded back. "Okay…I just…wanted to be sure."

"See you around, Shirayuki! Let's be friends, okay?"

She waved as they left and tilted her head. _Friends…with third years?_


	41. Chapter 41

NeonHorizon: One emotional roller coaster coming up! First a few words. I want to focus just a little more on the friendship stuff in the upcoming chapters because that stuff is super fun to write. Second, I _**adore** _"friendship wing-man" Togata Mirio. Something about writing that part last chapter was so satisfying! Lastly, I'm a monster. Enjoy the chapter, everyone!

* * *

"Are you excited for the sports festival tomorrow, Ume?"

She nearly dropped her chopsticks, startled out of her reflections on that day by her grandmother's question. Glancing across the table, she managed a nod. "…I'm just…a little worried…about making the rest of the class look bad…everyone in 1-A is so talented…"

"Oh, you shouldn't worry about that! Do you remember when you were little? You loved watching the footage of your father at his first sports festival when he was in high school. You didn't love them because of his quirk though."

"…no…" Thinking about it made her smile and she gripped the chopsticks tighter. "…I loved watching them…because he looked like he was having so much fun…he was talking to everyone and…always had people around him…he looked so happy…"

Her chest felt tight as she remembered another thing from that video she used to watch. There was a girl in that video with long, pale blonde hair and bright crimson eyes. This girl was smiling, happy, watching Umetarou with love in her gaze. Her hair was loose and messy. She had a little dirt smudged on her cheek from an earlier competition. However, on that day so long ago, Shirayuki Hikari had seemed so happy. So different from how she became after Umetarou's death.

"All that matters is that you do your best to shine in your own way, Ume. Any hero agency worth your time will be able to recognize your potential in an instant." The old woman smiled and moved to put more vegetables on Ume's plate. "There we are. It's too bad Shinsou-kun couldn't stay for dinner tonight. I made so much after I saw him walk you to school."

She blinked away tears and slouched in her seat. After apparently befriending Togata and Amajiki, Shinsou had questioned what happened. In his defense, it probably looked like Togata was attempting some sort of overenthusiastic matchmaking. She had spent most of the walk home talking about that and then they discussed the sports festival. There was no time for her to tell him that the next time he was upset by something, he should tell her instead of keeping it bottled up.

"Have you made plans with your friends for after the festival? You know, your father's whole class met up at a restaurant after their first sports festival. I think it was a yakiniku restaurant." The old woman chuckled, shaking her head. "Your father ate so much that he didn't have enough to pay his tab. He called me and he was so nervous to tell his father, but we just laughed it off. He spent every Sunday for a year cleaning that place to repay his debt."

It was a story she knew well, but it still cheered her up. She could imagine her father devouring plate after plate of food, replenishing the calories he had burned through that day when he used his quirk. The day her quirk manifested, she remembered how excited he was. How much food he had made for dinner that night to celebrate.

"…we're…going out after the festival…" she replied. "…um…I think Ashido-chan said…it's a ramen place so…" Seeing her grandmother smile so much, reminiscing about Umetarou, she was reluctant to ask her next question. "…do you know if…Hikari-san will be there tomorrow…?"

The old woman's smile dropped instantly upon hearing that name. She knew now what the girl's mother had done to her that night they went for dinner. It seemed that just hearing the name "Hikari" was enough to shatter her happy moment. "_That_ woman. Ume, don't worry, alright? Granny will take care of it. I won't let her hurt you again." Her expression darkened. "I made a promise to Umetarou that I would take care of you. I swear that woman won't ever hurt you again. I swear it."

Shirayuki had only seen her grandmother get this angry once before. It was the day that Hikari brought her to her grandmother's house and basically abandoned her. The old woman had seethed when she thought Shirayuki was looking elsewhere, but the girl still knew. Her mother no longer wanted her and that was not right. Her grandmother, this sweet little old lady, cherished her though.

"…thank you…"

She offered to wash all of the dishes that night, working quietly as her grandmother settled in the sitting room with five of their cats. A glance was cast toward the refrigerator as she thought of the promise Bakugou had more or less forced her to make. _A bento for tomorrow…but I don't even know what to make. I don't know what he likes._

The doorbell at the gate chimed and she jumped a little. Quickly pulling up her mask, she started for the door. "…I'll see who it is…" she assured her grandmother. As she opened the door, she blinked in surprise at the sight of Kirishima in the process of climbing over the gate.

He paused when he heard the door open, one leg hanging over one side of the gate and the other on the other side. The boy grinned sheepishly and held up a shopping bag. "Hey, Yuki-chan! Is it okay if I come in?"

Behind her mask, she had to smile. It was such an odd sight; her red-haired classmate perched on the top of the gate and looking like he might tumble over at any moment. She gave a timid nod and was impressed when he managed to hop down without getting hurt. "…Kirishima-kun, you…don't live around here…do you…?"

The boy looked away, his free hand lifting to rub the back of his neck. "I mean, no, but I wanted to stop by and bring you something. I was hanging out with Bakugou so I was already out."

It was now that she realized he was still wearing his school uniform. _He was hanging out with Bakugou-kun?_ Looking toward the bag, she tilted her head slightly.

"Oh, right! The stuff I got! Okay, so I know your blood sugar gets low really easily, right? Check this out!" Kirishima opened the bag wide and proudly displayed an array of sweet buns and various candies, as well as a convenience store bento tucked at the bottom of the bag.

Her eyes grew wide with amazement at the selection of sweets, but she was puzzled by the bento. It looked so out of place among the other things. "…ah…?"

"Right! Remember how Bakugou wanted you to make him a bento for tomorrow? I know you probably just want to chill tonight so I got you this. Just put it in a different box and he'll never know! I got him a pretty good one, too. Lots of meat." He grinned, displaying his sharp, pointed teeth. "What do you think? Pretty smart, right?"

"…K-Kirishima-kun…you're…always so sweet…" Tears of happiness blurred her vision and she quickly lifted a hand to wipe at them. "…you're…such a good friend…I don't…I-I don't deserve…"

"Whoa! Don't cry, Yuki-chan! I didn't mean to make you cry! Um…oh!" He drew a handkerchief from his pocket and offered it to her, beaming. "Here you go!"

"Oh my goodness! Is that Kirishima-kun? What brings you here so late?" her grandmother called from the doorway.

"Just dropping off some snacks," the boy replied, holding up the bag.

"Why don't you come inside for a moment? We've got some cookies left over from last night. Ume made them herself."

"Awesome! I love Yuki-chan's cookies!" Kirishima started toward the door, casually taking Shirayuki's free hand as her other hand wiped at her eyes.

Her friend greeted every cat by name, which was a little impressive given that there were seven of them. He complimented her grandmother and said, again, how much he loved the cookies Shirayuki made. All the while, she was unable to feel as relaxed as she had before.

The knowledge that he liked her was weighing on the girl's mind and heart. Kirishima was always ready to make her smile. He went out of his way for her, put himself between her and Bakugou to make her feel at ease, and seemed to always know when she was feeling down. When he saw her getting nervous over something, he did whatever he could to try to help her feel better.

Kirishima was a great friend. She felt comfortable hanging out with him, usually. For whatever reason, this night was different. She felt self-conscious. She found herself unable to meet his gaze half the time. When she walked him to the gate to say good night, she felt like her face burst into flames and her heart felt as though it was shot through with an electrical current.

Morning found her walking to the school with Shinsou, her head down and her teeth anxiously chewing at the side of her tongue. Shirayuki knew she had to say something. It was still weighing on her from the day before. However, this was the day of the sports festival. It was such an important day for them both and she knew that if she told him how she felt, it might put a damper on the day.

"Shirayuki…" he started, rubbing the back of his neck. They were nearing the gate now and he looked almost pained, conflicted. "I like you. A lot. I really like spending time with you. And you know I'd do anything to make you happy, right?"

_What…is he about to say?_ Her pulse was quick, hard. It hurt and made her chest feel like it was being squeezed. Cold dread settled in the pit of her stomach as she looked up at him. "…Shinsou-kun…?"

**Shift P.O.V**

It hurt him to say this to her. It hurt a lot. He had done a lot of thinking, though. This was not a decision that he made lightly. Just trying to get the words out was such a struggle. He hated to do this. He knew what would happen, but it had to happen.

Thinking on it, Shinsou decided that this was becoming much too serious for a high school relationship. This was, by no means, a decision made solely because of her sleep talking and saying she loved him. No, this was a decision made after he realized his own feelings. His own desires. He had become so serious about this relationship, subconsciously thinking about their future together in his spare time, that it scared him.

He wanted to see her every day. He wanted to be with her every day, all of the time. When they parted ways the previous afternoon, it made his chest hurt. Shirayuki was all he had been able to think about that night, which led him to this painful decision. They both wanted to become heroes. They both needed to focus on achieving their goal.

"I don't want us to not be friends," he finished, after explaining that their relationship had to end. "I like you."

"…I…I want to stay your friend, too…" Tears were rolling down her cheeks as she bowed her head. Her grip on her school bag tightened, her knuckles turning white. "…b-but you're right…um…I don't…want to be a distraction and you…probably…"

Shinsou leaned down, gently tugging at her mask and pressing his lips against hers. The kiss was brief, but warm and soft. She tasted like sweets and it made him half-smile. Leaning his forehead against hers, he let his fingers trail through her hair. "You make me happy…and I want to keep making you happy. After we graduate, maybe…things can go back to this. I'm sorry."

**Shift P.O.V**

Shirayuki's shoulders drooped as she walked alone. He had to go to his class and she was lingering near the entrance with her head down. Her heart hurt. It felt like she had been stabbed in the chest twenty times. However, on some level, it was a relief.

Now she could avoid hurting him by telling him how upset she was that he had kept his feelings bottled up. Now they could both focus on their goals and she could work towards being a hero like her father. She sniffled and wiped at her eyes, trying to reassure herself that this was for the best.

"Hey, Shirayuki! Why are you out here? You should hurry up or-! Huh?! What's wrong? Are you okay?" Togata's bright smile fell the second he saw her teary crimson eyes. "That's no good! The sports festival is today, you know! You shouldn't cry!"

"Mirio…?" Amajiki approached the two other students, but kept a distance. He nervously glanced their way once before lowering his head to glare at the ground. "Is…everything okay?"

Shirayuki's shoulders were grabbed in what Togata probably imagined was a gentle grip and she lowered her head further to try to hide her tears. "…I-I'm…okay, I just…I just need a few seconds…I'm sorry…I-I'm making someone worry and…"

"Hey, it's okay! I get it!"

She lifted her eyes, meeting the boy's blue enthusiasm with red uncertainty. "…you…understand…?" she murmured, extremely confused.

"Yeah!" He released her right shoulder and gave her a thumbs-up. "You're so excited about the sports festival that you can't take it, right? I felt the same way when I was a first year! It's pretty exciting, isn't it? It's your first chance to get out there and really shine! I know you're probably nervous, too, but don't worry about it! Just go out there and give it your best!"

Even though this was not the kind of encouragement she had expected, it did somehow make her feel better. Despite having nothing to do with her break up. "…th-thank you, Togata-senpai…"

"That's what friends are for! Right, Tamaki?"

He gave a short nod. "Just…try your best," he said without looking up.


	42. Chapter 42

Shirayuki took her new friends' advice to heart. She also thought of her father and how he had acted during his first sports festival. Trying her best, while also having fun, made for a good day. Even if it had started terribly. She had been a little afraid that the break up would distract her from the sports festival, but it seemed to be the opposite. The sports festival distracted her from the heartbreak.

She knew she probably failed to stand out among the other first year students, but she was just happy to be able to be with her friends and give every challenge her best effort. When it came to students facing off against each other, she sat with Ashido and cheered for their male friends. What would have normally been an anxiety-inducing event was so much better with friends.

"We're meeting up in two hours, right?" Ashido looked to Shirayuki as they left the stadium.

"…ah…y-yes…two hours…it's…the one near the station…?"

"Yep!" The pink-haired girl tilted her head and leaned in a bit, frowning. "Hey, are you okay? You seemed kind of down when you got here this morning."

"…I'm fine…I was just…a little sleepy…" Shirayuki hated to lie to her, but she also wanted to keep the heartbreak to herself. It was personal. It was burdensome. The last thing she wanted was to dampen the mood with something like that. "…Kirishima-kun…and Kaminari-kun…?"

"They're going and Bakugou and I think Kaminari invited Sero, too."

"…I see…" She had yet to really talk to Sero so it made her a little bit nervous, but she nodded. "…alright then…I'll see you later…"

"Oh. Are you waiting for your boyfriend to walk home with you? Did you want to invite him, too? It's cool if you want him to go with us."

It felt like her heart was being squeezed. She shook her head. "…no…he's busy…I'm walking alone today…"

Once Ashido was gone, Shirayuki sighed and bowed her head. The fun from earlier was starting to fade into the distance and was replaced with a cold sadness. She rummaged in her bag, wanting to find her phone so she could call her grandmother. She wanted someone to talk to on her walk home. Her fingers brushed against something crinkly and she drew it out of the bag.

Holding up a wrapped bun that Kirishima had given her the night before, she blinked away tears. For whatever reason, just looking at the custard bun made her feel a tiny bit better. She unwrapped it and began eating as she walked, keeping her head down to hide her mouth from passerby. _I have to cheer up. I can't stay sad about this. Heroes don't get depressed…do they? All Might is always smiling. My father was always smiling. Heroes aren't supposed to show it, even if they get sad._ Licking a bit of custard from the corner of her lips, she nodded to herself.

"There you are! Where have you been, Ume? I waited out here for twenty minutes. Do you think I have time to waste just standing around?" The voice came from ahead of her. It was sharp, cold, and female. The clicking of heels alerted her to the fact that Hikari was now walking toward her at a brisk pace.

Shirayuki lifted her gaze, meeting her mother's crimson eyes, and she felt like her throat was getting tighter. Her stomach suddenly hurt as if she might lose the bun she just ate. She lifted a hand to her cheek, where her bruise was still healing, and found herself halting in her steps. "…Hikari-san…"

"You know, I really expected more from you today. Umetarou would be so disappointed, knowing his only daughter did such a poor job of showing off her quirk. You didn't even place in the top ten. Honestly, I don't know why you think you have what it takes to be a hero. You're nothing like Umetarou; you're timid, frail, _weak_. You can't even show your face so how can you ever expect to become the number one hero?"

Each word felt like a stab to her heart. Shirayuki clutched the wrapper from the bun tighter, her hand curling into a fist. She lowered her head more as tears formed in her eyes. The fact that Hikari was bringing up her father made it so much worse. She felt like she was disappointing him now and that was an even deeper level of heartbreak. "…Hikari-san…"

Sharp, manicured nails reached to push her hair back from her face and lifted her chin. Hikari glowered down at her daughter for a moment before a smirk curved her lips. "Well. I suppose it's not all bad. I had the opportunity to speak with Todoroki today and gave him my business card. I think I'll arrange a dinner and we can discuss a quirk marriage. I heard that he has three sons. At least one of them will probably take you. Strong men like that prefer the timid type anyway."

"What the hell are you doing, you old hag? Are you some kind of creep that goes after high school kids?"

Shirayuki had never been so happy to hear Bakugou's voice. Her eyes darted to the side and saw him quickly approaching with a scowl. "…B-Bakugou-kun…this is…this is my mother…"

The woman looked at the boy and her expression fell to disgust as she examined him. "Oh? Another little friend of yours, Ume?"

A hand closed around Shirayuki's upper arm and Bakugou yanked her away from her mother, putting himself between them. "So you're the one that hit Ume? Great. I was hoping I'd meet you." There was a dangerous tone to his voice and the boy's eyes narrowed into a fiery glare that made Hikari's icy one look weak. "You ever put your hands on my girl again and there's gonna be hell to pay! You understand, you old crone?!"

"Your girl?" Hikari tapped a finger to her chin, glancing from the boy to the girl behind him. She smiled, but there was no warmth to it. "I see. Oh, Ume. The disappointment just doesn't stop, does it? I remember this boy. You placed first, didn't you? It's just a shame that you're from a _nothing_ little family, with a _terrible_ personality, and…oh, just to make matters worse…you're not even _good-looking_. Ume, it's such a waste of youth."

"What the hell are you saying?" he growled. Bakugou was not about to back down, but at the same time he was aware of how Shirayuki was trembling. She timidly gripped his sleeve and mumbled that they should leave.

"Well, if you must know…" Hikari's smile grew and she leaned down to be at eye level with the teenager. "I'm afraid she'll break your heart, young man. You see, Ume is Shirayuki Umetarou's daughter. Calorie Bomb's daughter. She needs to be with someone of much higher standing than…_you_. She's going to marry one of Endeavor's sons. So you should just run along and find yourself a nice girl from general studies. That should be more your type anyway, right?"

Bakugou reached back and grabbed Shirayuki's hand. He moved her beside him now and smirked at the woman standing in front of them. "Ume's _mine_. She doesn't have to do what you say. I don't even care who her parents are. I'll fight you if I have to! She's not-!"

"Bakugou." Shirayuki's voice was steady, but raised. She gripped his hand tighter for support and took a step forward. Her eyes lifted from the ground to meet Hikari's directly. Her free hand lifted to pull away her mask, having put it back on when Bakugou came to her rescue earlier. Facing her mother with as much confidence as she could manage, she began to speak.

"Hikari-san, you can't decide things for me. You're not my mother. A mother doesn't abandon their child. A mother doesn't hit their child or try to force them to do whatever they want. You're no one's mother. Grandma raised me…without any help from you. You can't just come back after so many years and try to act like a mother. You don't know me."

"Heh. Well aren't you bold? You really are Umetarou's daughter, aren't you?" Hikari sighed and straightened her posture, shaking her head. "Of course, just because you can suddenly talk without stuttering and whispering, doesn't mean that you're an adult. I _am_ your mother. I decide what's best for you. As Umetarou's daughter, you should be with the son of a hero; not this trashy boy from a family of-!"

"DON'T TALK ABOUT MY FRIEND THAT WAY!" Shirayuki was trembling, her knees feeling weak and her stomach doing flips. Still, she forced herself to keep acting brave. She had no other choice. "You…are the _worst_ mother ever! I don't have to talk to you! And don't you dare talk to Grandma because she knows what's best! She isn't going to do what you say, either!"

Not waiting for her mother to respond, the girl kept a grip on Bakugou's hand and started walking away at a quick pace. She needed to get away from Hikari. She needed to recover from what just happened. It felt great to speak her mind and stand up for herself, but she also felt exhausted now.

**Shift P.O.V**

This was the second bravest he had ever seen her act. The bravest, of course, had been during the USJ incident. When everyone was separated, she had ended up with Kirishima and himself. She fought pretty hard, but the most impressive thing was when she defended Kirishima.

A villain had managed to sneak up on him and was about to attack when she released a powerful calorie blast that hit the man directly in the chest. It had hit him so hard that it crushed his ribs and punctured his lungs and heart. Shirayuki had trembled and cried, but in that moment she had been insanely strong and courageous.

He could feel that she was shaking now so, as soon as they were out of sight of her mother, Bakugou took the lead. The boy was unable to stop the grin from spreading across his face as he broke into a run, keeping a firm grip on her hand. His heart was pounding when she raised her voice and he would never admit it, but he felt blood rushing to his face.

A look over his shoulder showed that her head was up, eyes briefly meeting his before darting to look straight ahead to where they were headed. He got them to the train station and boarded to go to her neighborhood. Sitting beside her, still holding her hand, he shook his head. "You should've kicked her ass."

"…I couldn't…she's still my…well she's…a civilian so…that would look bad…"

"She's trying to put you in an arranged marriage with that half and half bastard!" he argued. "_I'd_ kick her ass!"

To his surprise, her shoulders shook and she lifted a hand to her mouth, even though it was already hidden behind her mask. She was trying to smother a laugh. "…th-thank you…for supporting me today…"

His face felt hot as he turned his head and used his free hand to rub the back of his neck. "Whatever. I thought that hag was trying to kidnap you." His grin returned and he squeezed her hand. "You need to speak up more, got it? You sound better when you're not mumbling everything."


	43. Chapter 43

NeonHorizon: I had a terrible thought. I could just see Hikari actually meeting with Endeavor and he just sarcastically says something like "sure, your kid can marry my oldest son if you can find him". I'm not doing that, of course, but it would be kind of interesting in a horrible way. Anyway here's some cuteness.

* * *

"Yuki-chan! I didn't get to tell you how awesome you were at the sports festival! You looked so cool!" Kirishima greeted her with a grin as the girl arrived at the ramen shop. Looking past her at the brooding ash blond boy, his grin grew even more. "Oh, sweet. You ran into Bakugou on your way here?"

"We came here together," the boy argued.

"Huh? Like you _walked_ here together?" He laughed a little and his grin relaxed into a warm smile, directed at the girl. "You were seriously awesome though, Yuki-chan. You looked like a pro out there."

Her face turned bright pink and she bowed her head to try to hide it behind her hair. "…th-thank you…you looked really cool, too…Kirishima-kun…"

"No way! I wasn't anywhere near as cool as _you_ were!"

"If you guys are done arguing about who was the coolest, can we get some food? I'm _starving_!" Ashido interrupted before either could continue talking.

"Okay, okay. Do they have any seats open?" Kirishima started to turn, but paused and looked back to Shirayuki. "Hey. So, um, do you want to sit next to me, Yuki-chan?"

"…o-okay…" Behind her mask, she had to smile. It was a relief to be with her friends. She could at least try to forget what had happened with her mother. She was proud that she had stood up for herself and defended Bakugou, but it had still been a scary experience. Worse, she knew her mother would not give in so easily.

Shirayuki Hikari was a business woman. A self-made success with business in Japan as well as abroad. She was tenacious, dedicated, and above all else obsessive. If she wanted something to happen, she would make it happen. The fact that she had gone out of her way to hunt down and approach an intimidating hero like Endeavor was proof enough of this.

As always, Shirayuki enjoyed and greatly appreciated the food. She sat between Kirishima and Ashido, savoring the ramen and wondering if she could ever replicate the broth it was served in. Glancing at her friends as she ate, she felt a bittersweet happiness. She was glad to have friends she could celebrate with, but she remembered her grandmother's story about her father and his friends after their first sports festival.

Thinking about her father now, she slouched in her seat and frowned. She wished that he could have been there to see her first UA sports festival. She wished he could be there to stop her mother from acting the way she was. Hikari had never been so cruel when Shirayuki's father was alive. _Would he…be proud of me? Would he be happy with how I acted today? Would he like my friends?_

Bakugou never mentioned what happened after the sports festival, which she appreciated. It was embarrassing that she had yelled at her own mother, even if it was necessary. Soon it became just a faded memory as her friends talked about the sports festival and what their plans were for the next day.

"What're you doing tomorrow, Yuki-chan? Are you busy?" Ashido gave her a curious look, but seemed like she was insinuating something.

Her stomach twisted in knots and she shook her head. "…I don't…have any plans tomorrow…" she confessed. When she and Shinsou were still dating, they had talked about making plans, but now that they were broken up, she had no idea what she was going to do with the day off. The thought of taking her grandmother to the cat café seemed appealing.

"Want to meet up and we can all hang out? Is anyone busy tomorrow?"

While Ashido started making plans, Shirayuki bowed her head and stared down into her empty bowl. _Shinsou. Is he doing anything tomorrow? He said that he still wanted to be friends so…could we still hang out in the evening? Does he still want to…after everything today?_

The group of friends wandered onward to the next place where they would hang out. They settled on an arcade and Shirayuki felt a little awkward. She stood off by herself while the others played games, remembering when she and Shinsou had gone into this arcade during their date. Before she could stop herself, she had pulled her phone from her pocket and sent him a message to ask how he was doing.

She stared at the screen, holding her breath and gripping the phone tightly. When his reply came, her heart skipped a beat before she read it. A sigh of relief escaped her from behind her mask and she started to smile. He was doing fine and asked how she was. Shirayuki messaged back and forth with him, enjoying this moment until he said that he had to go.

_But…at least we're still friends. We're friends. I have friends. _She tucked her phone into her pocket again and looked at her friends, her smile growing. Ashido was watching Kaminari desperately try, and fail, to beat a level on a game. Sero was approaching them, snickering and shaking his head. Bakugou was standing at a game, his back to her, but it looked like he was in deep concentration. _Where's…Kirishima-kun…?_

"Yuki-chan. Hey, what's up? Why are you standing by yourself?" He approached from her right, frowning slightly. "Everything okay? You seemed kind of down earlier."

She bit the inside of her cheek and nodded. "…I-I'm fine…just tired…"

"Oh. Well, if you want to go home, I can walk you there. I'm kinda tired, too," he admitted. Leaning against the wall beside her, he focused his gaze on Bakugou. The ash blond was now banging a fist against the game he was playing and shouting at it, threatening it. The sight made Kirishima half-grin. "There's a man that hates losing," he stated in a joking sort of way.

"…he…really hates losing…" Shirayuki nervously fidgeted with the hairband on her wrist and gave a small nod. "…I…like hanging out with everyone…but…I'm sort of tired and I…think I do want to go home early…"

"Oh! Okay, don't worry; I'll walk with you! Hey, you guys!" Kirishima went to explain to the others.

Shirayuki was not left alone for long. Soon enough, Bakugou was storming over to her with a really irritated expression on his face and an embarrassingly cute kitten plush toy clenched in his fist. He shoved it into her arms, his cheeks dusted with red as he glared down at the girl. She stared up at him with wide, crimson eyes and realized that the game he was playing earlier had to have been a crane game. "…ah…um…Bakugou-kun…?"

"I blew a lot of tokens on that damn game so you'd better like that stupid thing, got it?! Put it on your bed or whatever." He quickly turned away, a scowl firmly in place.

"…th-thank you…it's so cute…"

"Look. After that crap that old hag put you through…whatever. Not like I care." Bakugou seemed to be struggling to find a reason for why he was giving her this gift and finally just blurted one out. "This is a _reward_, got it? Next time you stick up for yourself and raise your voice, I'll give you another one. Got it?! And if you yell, I'll make it something extra good!"

"…okay…?" Shirayuki bowed a little. "…thank you, Bakugou-kun…" It was a little confusing, but she was not about to turn down the gift. The stuffed animal really was adorable and she was excited to add it to her collection. _He knows…and he's trying to cheer me up_, she realized as he walked away to join the others.

**Shift P.O.V**

Staring up at the ceiling of his room, he frowned. Shinsou wanted to ask her if she was busy the next day. He wanted to spend their day off together. He wanted to see her and talk about the sports festival. However, he knew she was with her friends and they probably had plans for the next day.

_I'll just have to wait my turn_, he thought with a hint of bitterness. Of course he regretted ending their romantic relationship. After all, he liked her a lot. He had developed a crush on her in their last year of middle school and the more time he spent with Shirayuki, the more he liked her.

As he closed his eyes, he tried to think of something he could do. Something fun they could do together that would be something friends do. Nothing romantic. He was afraid that if it went down that road, he might be unable to stop himself from trying to take it further. They were still young, they had been together for such a short time. He knew that rushing things would ruin any relationship that they had and he wanted to keep her in his life.

**Shift P.O.V**

"So…is there a hero agency you really want to work for?"

Shirayuki was nervously fidgeting with her hairband again, walking with her head down. "…I haven't really…thought about that…um…I'd be happy to work for the same agency my father worked for, but…I-I guess I'd just count myself lucky to be picked by any hero agency…" She glanced over at Kirishima. "…do you…have an agency you want to work for…?"

He had been walking alongside her with his arms crossed behind his head, looking up at the stars dotting the evening sky. Now he grinned and looked over at her. "I want to be a hero like Crimson Riot! So any agency that can get me close to that goal!"

"…Crimson Riot…" She had heard of the hero, of course. "…that would be cool…" she admitted. Turning to look at her friend fully, Shirayuki smiled behind her mask. "…Kirishima-kun…your quirk is really powerful and…you're always trying so hard…I know you can reach your goal…you'll be…such an amazing hero…!"

The boy flushed almost as red as his hair for a second and turned his head to the side, rubbing at the back of his neck. "Yuki-chan, come on! You don't have to humor me; I know I'm a ways off from my goal."

"I…mean it." For the second time that day, she forced herself to speak louder and clearer. She even tugged her mask down to show how serious she was. "You're...already an amazing friend. I just know you're going to be an amazing hero!"

His eyes widened and he smiled. It was a sheepish sort of smile at first, as if he was suppressing it, but then it bloomed into pure joy. "Well if _you_ say it, I've got to believe it, huh? Thanks, Yuki-chan." Kirishima hesitated for a second and then stepped closer, reaching out to take her hand. "That's one of the things I like best about you; you're always so sweet."

Warmth heated her face as she used her free hand to put her mask over her nose and mouth again. "…I'm just…telling the truth though…"

"You're going with us tomorrow, right? We're going to that movie. Are you okay with horror movies? I can tell them we should see something else if you'e too scared."

Crimson eyes blinked slowly, meeting his gaze. "…Kirishima-kun, you're…so chivalrous…" This seemed to make him even happier as he beamed. "…um…h-horror movies are okay…I need to be brave so…and with my friends there…it's less scary…"


	44. Chapter 44

There were few times when Shirayuki really hated her mask. She wore it to protect herself. It was meant to hide her mouth so no one could make fun of her. The commute to school made her wish she had the courage to not wear it in public. It made it so much easier for people to recognize her from the sports festival. If Shinsou had not been with her, she was sure something bad would have happened.

Walking alongside her friend, the girl kept her head bowed. "…I'm…surprised that you haven't been approached…" she commented quietly. "…you were really cool…at the sports festival, Shinsou…"

He frowned and ran a hand through his hair. "I didn't make it as far as I wanted to," he argued.

"…no, but…you made it really far…" Fidgeting with the hairband on her wrist, she could feel her face heating up a little. Even though he broke up with her, they were still friends and she was really glad. However, it was difficult to fully make that transition back to friendship now. She still blushed around him and her stomach still did flips when he looked her in the eyes.

The previous day, they had spent the afternoon together. She kept thinking about holding his hand, but she kept her distance to respect his wishes. _Just friends. I can't let myself distract him…or distract myself from my goals. I'm going to become a hero. I'll become a strong hero…and prove myself…make myself a hero that would make my father proud!_

"You're in the hero course so…you're probably going to get offers from hero agencies now for an internship, right? I heard that's how it goes."

She glanced over and nodded. "…I just…hope that I get an offer from somewhere that can help me get stronger…"

Shinsou quirked an eyebrow and half-smiled. "You're really fired up today. Well, yesterday, too. There's something different."

The girl's shoulders drooped and she frowned behind her mask. Unfortunately, what had lit a fire beneath her was her mother. After standing up for herself and Bakugou, she knew she could force herself to act tougher and it gave her a rush of confidence. She knew she was still a long ways off from being as confident as her classmates, but this was a start at least.

Parting ways to go to class, Shirayuki tried to push away the memory of shouting at her mother. It was difficult when she saw Bakugou because it immediately brought back the memory of all of the terrible things her mother had said about him. She started to feel sad, but more than that she felt angry. She wished that she could have said something more. Something to make her mother regret speaking that way about her friend.

"You've got a pretty big appetite, Yuki-chan."

"Whoa! That's a ton of food!" Kaminari leaned over, peering down at Shirayuki's lunch as they sat at a table. "We don't have any quirk training stuff today, do we?"

"I didn't think we did," Ashido agreed. "That looks really good though, Yuki-chan."

She stared down at her tray, having not realized how much food she got until just now. In the moment, she had been hungry. Distracted. A little bit angry and a little bit depressed. No hero agencies had offered her an internship. As she lowered her mask, she slouched and quietly began to devour her curry and rice first. It had always been a comforting food for her in the past so she hoped that it could help her feel better now.

_No agencies wanted me. What did I do wrong? I…obviously messed up. Where though? Did I really just not make any impression? My father…didn't do well in his sports festival, but he at least stood out._ Shirayuki moved on to her second serving of curry and rice, eating with no regard for how the boy beside her was frowning.

The others were talking about the attention everyone had gotten on the way to school, but Kirishima seemed to be focused instead on Shirayuki's frown. "Hey, Yuki-chan, maybe we could both intern at the same agency. Wouldn't that be cool?"

She gave a nod, but bowed her head a little more and reached for her third serving. Before she could start on it, a pair of chopsticks jabbed into the piece of meat on top and she jolted. Turning to look at the owner of the chopsticks, she saw Bakugou glaring down at her. "…what…?"

"What the hell are you so depressed about? It's not like you won't get to intern," he growled, leaning in closer. His tray was set down beside hers and he took a seat. "And if she's going to intern with anybody, it's gonna be me."

"…um…I don't know…I-I wanted to…be picked by an agency…I feel bad if I have to make one take me…"

"You've got to be aggressive sometimes! Go in and demand that they take you! They'll see how determined you are and-!"

"Whatever. All I've got to do is say something and you'd be in," Bakugou interrupted. He started eating beside her, not even bothering to look over at the rest of the group.

"…aggressive…" Shirayuki finished eating and considered what Kirishima had said. It would definitely show initiative if she approached a hero agency herself, but just thinking about it made her start to feel nauseas. She bit her lip as she tried to determine what she could do. What she could manage, with her level of anxiety and timidity. Shyness was definitely not a good trait in a hero; people wanted someone confident and outgoing to come to their rescue.

At the end of the day, she walked alone down the hallway with the intention of meeting up with Shinsou to go home. _Tomorrow. I'll…see what agencies are accepting interns…and I'll have to do something myself._ She curled her hand into a fist in front of her and nodded.

It was as she did this that Shirayuki felt an odd sensation. Like there were holes being burned into the back of her head from a distance. This was not something she was overly used to; most people overlooked Shirayuki and she was glad for that fact. However, this was an intense stare and it was being directed at her specifically.

She kept her head bowed, biting her lip hard as she quickened her pace. Usually if someone was staring at her this intensely, it was Bakugou. This felt different somehow. Less dangerous, but still unsettling. She was afraid to even glance back and see who it was so she just tried to navigate her way out of the school as quickly as possible without drawing more attention to herself.

Shirayuki continued to feel that someone was watching her. No matter how fast she walked or how many turns she made, someone was behind her and they were not about to look away. She fidgeted with her hairband, nervousness making her stomach clench and making sweat bead along her hairline. _I can't…do this. Why? I should be __**brave**__! I want to be a hero and people are always looking at heroes!_

The girl shook her head, thinking of her homeroom teacher. _Aizawa-sensei…doesn't like to be looked at, either. But he's a hero. He avoids the people that would look at him. Maybe I can be like Aizawa-sensei. Maybe I can-!_

"Hey, Tamaki! You didn't ask her yet? She's almost gone!"

Hearing Togata's warm, cheerful tone above the clamor of the other students made her pause in her steps. Now she looked back and Shirayuki's crimson eyes briefly met a pair of dark indigo ones. The older student immediately narrowed his eyes and lowered his head so his hair hid his gaze. _What…?_

"Shirayuki! Good timing; he almost lost his chance! Can you come here? Tamaki's got something really important to ask you!"

She tilted her head slightly, but obliged. It was strange, but she found herself wanting to do what Togata asked. After all, he gave off that warm, kind aura. _Like a living ray of sunlight. Like how a real hero should be_, she thought to herself. As she approached the two male students, she bowed her head and shifted her hands to both hold her bag's strap. "…ah…d-did you need something…Togata-senpai…?"

"Not me! Tamaki, come on! Now's your chance!" He put a hand on his friend's shoulder, leaning in and smiling brightly. "You said it was important, right?"

There was a moment of silence as the boy tried to lift his gaze to look at Shirayuki, but then seemed to reconsider. Staring down at the ground, his mouth twisted into a deep scowl and he shook his head. "It's no good…Mirio, I can't-"

"You can do this!" Togata persisted. He gently held Shirayuki's shoulder and guided her closer to his friend, apparently ignoring the way both of the timid students started to turn bright red in the face. "And…**_friendship_**! Go!"

_Friendship…?_ She was a little puzzled by his exclamation and looked from him to the boy standing in front of her. "…A-Amajiki-senpai…?"

His lips moved, but he was silent. He shoved his hands into his pockets and took a deep breath. "…a potato doesn't work…a cat…?" He gave himself a small nod. "Okay…visualize a cat. She's just a cat," he muttered to himself.

_I'm a cat?_ Shirayuki was fidgeting with the strap of her bag nervously. She was aware that people were beginning to stare at the weird group of three. She was also aware of the warm hand gripping her shoulder; holding her in place while Amajiki tried to collect himself. "…I'm…supposed to walk home w-with my friend so…"

"Oh! Sorry, Shirayuki; we won't keep you for too much longer. We've got to get going soon, too," Togata apologized. Turning his head to look at Amajiki again, he frowned. "Come on! You can do this!"

When the dark-haired boy lifted his gaze from the ground, it was narrowed and met the girl's with a harshness. He took a step toward her, hands still in his pockets and that glare still fully intact. "Shirayuki-san, you...t-tomorrow…after school, come with me."

She stared at him in confusion as the wind blew a stray lock of dark violet hair across her face. "…Amajiki-senpai…um…g-go with you…?" The girl was now so nervous that she was shaking. All of her bravery from the other day was now nowhere to be found.

"Tell her," Togata urged. He gave Amajiki a slight nudge closer to the first year student, displaying a supportive smile as he did so.

"M-my hero agency, where I do my work study…the hero I'm working for wants to meet you." It was obvious that Amajiki was just as nervous as Shirayuki; they were both trembling and sweating a little from fear. Doing his best to maintain eye contact, he took another step closer. "So tomorrow…come with me to the hero agency…"

"That wasn't so bad! You know your brain is your worst enemy sometimes; it psyches you out before you even start. So what do you think, Shirayuki?"


	45. Chapter 45

"Are you going to be okay?" Shinsou rubbed the back of his neck, reluctant to let Shirayuki walk with someone else. When she told him that she was visiting a hero agency with an upperclassman, he immediately started to worry. Dating or not, he still cared about her a lot and he knew how uncomfortable she was around strangers. "I could walk with you…"

She shook her head, but she was visibly shaking. "…I-I need to…be able to do this, Shinsou…thank you, but I just…if I ever want to become a hero…I need to be able to t-talk to strangers and…do things on my own…"

He frowned and wanted to argue with her. The thought of her going off with someone she hardly knew was causing his stomach to do anxious flips. _I don't like this. What if something happens? She doesn't know this person. _He leaned down to try to get a better view of her face behind her mask. "Are you sure? I can come to the hero agency to walk back with you when you're done. Where is it?"

"…I…I'm not sure…" she confessed.

"You're just going to blindly follow a stranger?" Shinsou was unable to contain his frustration and let it leak into his voice when he spoke. Immediately, he saw her shoulders droop and she bowed her head. "Shirayuki."

"Hey, Shirayuki! Ready to go? Tamaki, come on! You're the one walking with her; not me. Go over and talk to her."

Shinsou turned away before he could meet her new "friends". He was frustrated and he hated this jealous feeling gnawing at his stomach. True, he had broken up with her, but he still liked her. He still disliked the idea of her getting too close with someone else. He hated this feeling.

**Shift P.O.V**

Shirayuki was sad to see Shinsou walk away without even sparing her a good bye. It felt like when he had been ignoring her and she wanted to say something to him. She wanted to tell him exactly how it made her feel, but she was also afraid. If she tried to tell him, she may end up yelling again.

"Here you are! You told your guardian where you're going, right?" Togata was guiding Amajiki over to her with a hand firmly gripping his shoulder. He greeted her with a smile. "It shouldn't take too long and Tamaki will walk you home when you're done, right, Tamaki?"

"…Mirio, I can't…" The boy bowed his head, staring intensely at the ground and fidgeting with his bag.

"Of course you can! You wouldn't make her walk home alone, would you? When you invite someone out, it's only right to make sure they get home safe!" Togata beamed at his friend and then turned to look at Shirayuki again. He gave his friend a gentle nudge in her direction, still wearing that kind, warm smile. "Alright! Let me know how it goes, okay? I'll see you two tomorrow. I've got to get going to my work study. See you later."

Shirayuki's pulse quickened when she glanced up at the boy standing in front of her. She had failed to notice earlier, but he was decently taller than her. Giving a bow, she tried to contain her trembling and nausea. "…th-thank you…Amajiki-senpai…I-I appreciate this…"

He was silent for a long moment; simply staring down at her now that he had managed to unglue his eyes from the ground. "You haven't…signed up for an internship?"

"…n-no…um…none of them…m-made an offer…"

"…o-okay…let's go…" Amajiki turned and began walking.

Shirayuki had to take quick steps to keep up with him. Both students were painfully shy so both students were more than eager to be away from the crowds of civilians on the street. She tried her best to match his pace, but struggled a little. _He's…too fast. I just can't-!_

He looked over his shoulder, eyes still narrowed in a glare, and saw her get swallowed up by a crowd of people as they walked through a shopping district. Amajiki briefly caught sight of her pale, fearful face as someone approached her and he pushed himself out of his comfort zone. Taking quick, purposeful steps into the crowd, he gripped her hand and drew her away from the person without a word.

Shirayuki's face was bright pink when she was drawn away from the crowded area. She was embarrassed that she needed to be helped. She was still flustered from someone approaching her and asking so many questions. They had recognized her from the sports festival and wanted to know about the hero course at UA. She had barely stammered out an excuse to leave when Amajiki pulled her away.

The older student remained silent until they were safely on a train, heading toward the area his hero's agency was in. He seemed to have forgotten that he was holding her hand because when he glanced down, his glare intensified and he quickly released her. "…s-sorry…"

"…th-thank you for…helping me back there…I-I know I…shouldn't get f-flustered, but I…just froze up and…and…" She felt tears stinging her eyes and bit the inside of her cheek. She bowed her head and anxiously started toying with the hairband around her wrist.

Shinsou's words from earlier were starting to set in a little now that some time had passed. Truthfully, she knew next to nothing about Amajiki. She was relying on Togata's assurance that he was a good person. She also knew next to nothing about where she was going. Fat Gum's hero agency was what Togata had told her, but she did not know the address or much about the hero Fat Gum.

Bowing her head, she frowned and continued to fidget. _I…wish I was stronger. I wish I was braver. I wish I could say something. I should…ask more questions, but…what if he gets mad? He's glaring at me._

Amajiki was, indeed, glaring at her from the corner of his eye. He was standing beside her as the train sped along, holding onto one of the handles from above and quietly muttering to himself when he got too nervous. A bead of sweat rolled down the side of his face as he bowed his head to redirect his gaze to the floor. He only looked up when the train gave a brief jolt that sent Shirayuki bumping into him.

He tensed in response and lifted his eyes suddenly, the ferocity of his stare making her flinch back. Those intense, dark indigo eyes scanned the area until he spotted an open seat a ways down from where they were standing. "…c-come with me…" he mumbled, gripping her hand again. He led her down to the seat and waited for her to sit before he took up an almost guard-like stance in front of her, facing her to block out strangers.

"…th-thank you…" Shirayuki kept her head down, feeling even more flustered than before. Her face felt hot and she was afraid that if she looked up, she might start trembling. From what she was able to see, he was already shaking a little.

"…yeah…" He lowered his eyes as well, but kept facing her so she was out of view of most of the other passengers.

The rest of the journey to the hero agency was made in silence. Shirayuki kept close to her upperclassman, not wanting him to have to save her again. _I…can't need to be helped. A hero should be able to help themselves. _She nodded to herself as they approached what seemed to be the hero agency.

"You're Umetarou's kid? You're so _tiny_!" The jovial hero greeted the two teenagers with a wide grin and approached from behind a desk, bringing with him a serving of takoyaki. Chewing, he stared down at Shirayuki and saw her bow. "Hey, no need to be formal! Just be yourself!"

"…y-yes, sir…um…it's…it's nice to m-meet you…" She kept her head bowed a little, peering up at the hero through her dark hair with curiosity. He was a large, round man with a sizable grin. His mouth was wider than a normal person's. It made her subconsciously lift a hand to her own mouth, hidden behind her mask. _Like…my mouth…sort of…_

He tilted his head and leaned down a little. "You have your dad's appetite? Want some takoyaki?"

"…I…I don't know…um…" Shirayuki closed her eyes, trying to summon some courage. "…you…did you…ah…d-did you…know my father…?" She heard him call her father "Umetarou". _Was he friends with him? I don't remember…ever meeting this person before. I don't remember if my father ever had friends…at the house._

His smile grew and he moved back behind the desk. "Of course! Umetarou was great! That guy had a huge appetite! Sometimes I couldn't even keep up!"

Her fear started to melt after hearing him talk about her father in such a familiar way. "…w-were you…friends…?"

"I don't know if I'd say "friends"! He was almost fifteen years older than me! I really looked up to the guy, though, and we'd hang out! He was always so friendly with everybody; like he just wanted to make everyone in the world his friend!"

She took a deep breath and stepped toward the desk. "I…I want to become…a strong hero like he was. I want to be a hero like my father was!" Her heart was racing as she forced herself to make eye contact. She pushed her hair away from her face, trying to put on the most confident expression she could manage. "I need to…intern at a strong hero agency so-!"

"Are you kidding me?!" He sat back in his seat, popping a takoyaki into his mouth and chewing for a moment. "Amajiki, you didn't tell her?"

"…I-I meant to…but I…it's hard to…" He fidgeted beside her, his head down.

"Alright! I guess it's up to me then!" Fat Gum grinned widely and placed both hands on his desk. "Amajiki was supposed to tell you, but I guess it's up to me. I want you to do your internship _here_. Before you say anything, let me tell you why you should. I looked up to your old man so I promise I'll do whatever it takes to keep his kid safe! Secondly, you've got an eating quirk so we've all three got that in common! Thirdly, Amajiki could use a kouhai to practice talking to! I don't know what other agencies made offers already, but tell me you'll at least think it over!"

"Y-yes! I want to! I-if you don't mind…" Shirayuki could feel a sense of excitement and joy washing over her. She had felt a little depressed when no hero agencies offered to take her, but now she was presented with a great opportunity. Not only did this hero agency want her, but the hero in charge had known her father and he had a quirk that was a bit similar to hers.

"Great! I just need to fill out this form and you'll have to take it to school tomorrow morning. When the internship period starts, you just come here with Amajiki." He scribbled something on a piece of paper and pushed it across the desk to her. "Oh. Hey, Amajiki, you're walking her home, right?"

"Y-yeah…I can do that." The boy glanced toward her and then away again, his face a faint shade of pink. "…uh…I'm…glad that you're joining us…" he mumbled.

She bowed. "…I'm…grateful for the opportunity…Amajiki-senpai…"


	46. Chapter 46

NeonHorizon: Hooray for **Pocky**! Also, as I was editing this chapter, I realized that I totally skipped over picking hero names. No, I don't have a hero name picked out for her yet. That seems kind of important though...

* * *

_I need to be useful…_Shirayuki finished putting away groceries, leaving out the ingredients for the things she planned to make. After returning home from meeting Fat Gum and being offered an internship, she became determined to make herself stronger. He was an acquaintance of her father so she wanted to make a good impression.

She pulled her long, dark violet hair back away from her face and looked to the open recipe book on the counter. In order to prepare for her first day of interning, she wanted to make some high calorie foods she could eat quickly in case she had to use her quirk. Her grandmother had been making high calorie foods for her father since his quirk manifested so she had plenty of recipes.

The girl was a little cautious, though. She glanced toward the kitchen doorway, listening for any sounds of movement. Only the quiet scampering of two of the cats chasing each other around the sitting room. It was a little unsettling.

Shirayuki's grandmother rarely went out after Shirayuki returned home from school. Grocery shopping was either done in the morning or her granddaughter offered to do it for her on the weekend. However, at least once a month, the old woman took part in a casual shoji tournament with other elderly people from the area. That was where she was now.

Being home alone made her feel even more nervous than usual. Nothing terrible had ever happened. The worst was when a man came to the gate and rang the bell over and over, shouting at the house that he was selling textbooks. There was no other instance where anyone had even approached the house while she was out. Shirayuki just felt dread when she was home alone.

_What…should I make first?_ She skimmed the list she had made for herself and settled on cakes. Small, fluffy cakes that her grandmother had always made for her father when he was a child. Shirayuki nodded to herself, pleased with her decision, and began putting together the ingredients.

_I want to be a hero…like Calorie Bomb. I want to be strong and be able to protect people. I want to…be able to make friends. To talk to people. I have to! _She was putting the little cakes in the oven and set a timer. _I can't slow them down. When I start my internship…I have to show them that I have what it takes._

Shirayuki's determined inner dialogue was shattered by a knock at the door. She felt her blood run cold. Her heart dropped into her stomach as she stared in the direction of the front of the house.

Her pulse quickened as she stepped back, bumping into the kitchen counter. The two cats that had been in the sitting room were trotting toward the door to investigate, passing the kitchen doorway briefly. The three cats that had been keeping her company were slowly making their way there as well. She pressed a hand over her racing heart and realized that she was shaking.

"Yuki-chan! Hey, are you home?"

Shirayuki had never felt such a strong sense of relief before. She instantly began to calm down and her hand lifted to cover her smile. _Kirishima-kun? But I'm…so glad that it's him and not a stranger. _It was still a little confusing though. He was knocking at the front door. He would have had to climb over the locked gate to get to the front door.

When she opened the door, she saw her friend grin. "…K-Kirishima-kun…?"

"Sorry for dropping by so late, but I wanted to bring you something." He rubbed the back of his neck as he spoke, glancing past her down the hallway. "I didn't scare you, did I? I didn't want to ring the bell because I thought your grandma might be sleeping."

"…no, um…sh-she's actually out right now…playing shogi with friends…" Shirayuki had her head bowed, trying to hide her face. Since she was in her own home, she had left her mask in her bedroom. Her mouth was in full view and she felt herself becoming really self-conscious.

"Oh! Sorry! I shouldn't have dropped by without calling! H-here you go!" He held out a convenience store bag, heavy with what appeared to be every box of Pocky he could get his hands on.

She stared down into the bag, her crimson eyes growing wide. "…s-so many flavors…I…haven't even heard of some of these…"

Kirishima quickly recovered from his embarrassment. "Right?! I went all over the place trying to find some cool ones! There's strawberry chocolate, cookies and cream, butter flavor-!" He heard a quiet giggle escape her and his grin spread. "Awww! I thought that one was the best one I found!" he joked.

The girl put a hand over her mouth and shook her head, blushing faintly. "…I…can't imagine what butter flavor…would actually be like…"

"Want to try it? I'm curious, too." He looked almost sheepish about wanting to try butter-flavored Pocky.

The little cakes she was making still needed time to bake so she gave a small nod and opened the door further to let him in. "…um…s-since my grandma isn't here…I-I'm sorry, but…I can't have guests for long…"

"Oh! Don't worry; I won't stay more than a few minutes," he assured her. Kirishima sat down first when they got to the sitting room, completely undeterred by the cats that came running when they heard the rustle of the bag. "I need to find it first. Just a second!"

Shirayuki sat on the couch as well, but left some space between them. Fidgeting with the hem of her sleeve, she watched him rummage through the various Pocky boxes for the flavor he wanted to try. _So many flavors._ She stared down into the bag, her heart racing at the variety.

"Here we go!" He turned to her, holding up the box, and his face took on a slightly pink tint. "Yuki-chan, are you drooling?"

She bowed her head, embarrassed to be so excited about it, and wiped at her mouth. "…I…like trying new flavors…" she admitted. "…I'm sorry…it's not polite to…drool…" With every word, she slouched a little bit more until it almost looked like she was trying to curl in on herself.

"No way! It's cute! Er…I mean…" Kirishima turned his head to the side and frowned a little. "Uh…well, I did mean it, I guess. It's cute when you excited about stuff, Yuki-chan."

Lifting her gaze to peer at him through the stray hair falling over her face, she felt her heart skip a beat. "…d-drool is cute…?"

"No! I didn't mean that! I meant _you_ looked cute!" He put up both hands defensively, still holding the box of Pocky. "I mean, you _do_ look cute!"

She felt heat rushing to her face and bowed her head again. "…I-I'm…not cute…" she mumbled.

"No way! You're totally cute! Er…" He sighed in frustration and looked from her to the box in his hand. "That was so not manly. Sorry, Yuki-chan. Here; let's just try the Pocky."

From the edge of her vision, she watched him open the packaging and frown. It prompted her to look over as well, in time to see him draw a stick out. Golden brown in color with chocolate swirled around it. "…that's…butter…?"

Kirishima appeared just as confused as she was. "I guess it's supposed to be "butter cookie"? That's kind of disappointing. I was hoping it was really butter-flavored." His shoulders drooped as he held the stick up, turning it a little.

"…it…might still be good…" Shirayuki timidly held out a hand for a piece.

His mood brightened at her enthusiasm and he grinned, getting a stick for her as well. "We'll try it at the same time, okay? And then we can say what we think of it. Ready?"

"…ready…" She bit into hers the same time he did, but their version of a bite was very different. While Shirayuki just took a dainty nibble, she saw Kirishima nearly snap his in half and crunch down on it. _He…looks so happy. Is that how I look around food? Is that what he meant? Looking…happy and cute._ Warmth bloomed in her cheeks and she averted her gaze.

"So what do you think? I think it's still pretty good! Definitely tastes like a butter cookie with chocolate!" Kirishima's tone was bright and cheerful, reflecting in his sharp-toothed grin.

"…I…I really like this flavor…" Her lips curled into a smile as she took a small bite. _It really does taste like a butter cookie dipped in chocolate._

"I'm glad you like it. I really didn't know if you'd like these or not. I just wanted to do something special before our internships start. Everyone's gonna be pretty busy. You're going to a hero agency with a third year from UA there, right? That's pretty cool!"

She slouched, remembering how she had fidgeted and mumbled in front of Fat Gum. "…I'm…actually kind of nervous…b-because the hero knew my father and…I-I don't want to slow him down…or embarrass him…" She felt a warm hand settle on her shoulder and looked over.

"Hey! Yuki-chan, you're gonna do great! You've got to believe in yourself a little more! I mean, you saved my life, remember? You're already a hero, even without a license!" He saw the red tint to her cheeks and seemed to realize he had been leaning in as he spoke to her. Leaning back now, he rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry. I didn't mean to invade your bubble like that. I know you've got a boyfriend so-"

"…ah…um…" She bit the inside of her cheek, her eyes becoming watery. "…he…b-broke up with me…before the sports festival…"

"What?! You should've said something! You shouldn't have to deal with that by yourself!"

"…it…it wasn't…something anyone could help with and…I didn't want to cause problems…" Shirayuki closed her eyes before more tears could form. "…um…we're still friends…but it's difficult t-to get over and…I'm sorry…I-I shouldn't have said anything…I don't want people to worry…"

"We're your friends! You're supposed to let us help you when you feel down!" he argued. Kirishima's hand settled on her shoulder again and he leaned over, staring at her intently when she opened her eyes. "Don't keep stuff all bottled up, okay? You don't have to go through that stuff alone! Okay? Promise me."

She gave a nod, but she was fidgeting with the hem of her sleeve again. Guilt settled in the pit of her stomach, but seeing him smile made her feel a little better. "…I won't…keep things bottled up…" she agreed. "…b-but…ah…if you have anything…that's bothering you…or anyone else has something like that…I-I want to be able to help, too…"

Kirishima's smile grew. "Yuki-chan, don't worry about it. You're probably the first person I'll tell if I'm feeling down."


	47. Chapter 47

NeonHorizon: I had trouble deciding on a hero name for Shirayuki so I just had my sister pick one out. I hope it isn't too weird. I thought it sounded cute, but...meh. I don't know.

* * *

"Okay, so last time things were a little formal. It's not usually that stuffy around the agency. So let's have introductions again, but just you two. You guys need to practice speaking up more."

Shirayuki felt her pulse instantly quicken at the thought of introducing herself. Even if it was just to her upperclassman, she still felt nervous. Her stomach threatened to upheave everything she ate that morning, but she fought to keep it down. "…I-I'm…um…m-my name is…Shirayuki Ume…ah…b-but my friends call me "Yuki" and…my h-hero name…my hero name is…K…it's...Kcal…"

Her face was burning so she knew it must be bright red. She bowed her head to try to hide the blush, but her hair was pulled back in a ponytail since she was in her hero costume. The costume was adding to her embarrassment. She wished the costume flowed and hid her the way that Amajiki's did.

The older student was standing next to her, across the desk from Fat Gum, and his eyes widened when he was told to introduce himself. He tugged his hood forward more, trying to hide his face in shadow as he bowed his head as well. "…m-my name is…Amajiki Tamaki…" He went silent for almost a full minute as he seemed to struggle with his next words.

"You can do it, Tamaki. She's even shyer than you are."

He gave a short nod and lifted his head a little. Dark eyes narrowed on Shirayuki intensely as he drew a shaky breath. "M-my hero name is…Suneater."

She bowed, hands clasping together as she had nothing to fidget wit. "…I l-like your hero name…Amajiki-senpai…it…it sounds really cool…"

Fat Gum beamed and reached across the desk to pat her on the back. "Bonus points to Kcal for the compliment!"

"Ah…w-wait, I…I like your hero name…" Amajiki stammered.

"Too late; she beat you to it. Okay! Now that introductions are out of the way, let's take Kcal on her first patrol! Since it's her first day, I think we'll try to avoid doing anything crazy."

Both students nodded their agreement and followed him. Out in the street, the two teenagers instinctively drifted behind him a little. Nervousness made Shirayuki keep her head down and she found herself wishing her costume had something on her wrist that she could fidget with. Her hairband was currently keeping her long, dark violet hair pulled away from her face.

"You know, I used to join Umetarou on patrols sometimes. He always knew where to find the best restaurants; huge portions on the cheap. It always felt like he knew the owners, too. Like they were old friends."

Shirayuki felt a small smile forming behind her mask. "…m-my father…could make friends with anyone…it was s-something that he loved…making friends…"

"What about you, Kcal?" Fat Gum looked back and turned around. "Wanna try walking next to me? You both wanna be pros someday, right? Hiding behind me isn't going to help you."

She nodded and trotted to reach him. "…I-I'm sorry, sir…and…um…w-well I have trouble…making friends…but I like having them…I have…a few friends at school…and they're wonderful…"

"Good to hear! Suneater, get up here and join the conversation!"

The girl bowed her head again as Amajiki came to stand with them. _He has friends, too. Togata-senpai and…that girl with the blue hair._ She bit the inside of her cheek and nervously picked at the skin around her right thumbnail. _If Togata-senpai hadn't spoken up…I wouldn't have met Amajiki-senpai and…I wouldn't have this internship. I need to thank them both. Cookies…or…?_

"What?! You're already friends? I never would've guessed. I thought Kcal was just someone you knew from school."

"M-Mirio…introduced us," Amajiki explained. "So…w-we're friends…"

"If you're friends, you shouldn't have too much trouble talking, right? Go ahead and get a conversation going. What's something you both like? We're just on patrol so it won't hurt to talk a little."

_Friends…?_ Shirayuki lifted her eyes from the ground, briefly flitting in Amajiki's direction. He looked almost like he was in pain. She felt the exact same way. It was difficult to think of what she could say, what they could talk about. True, Togata had decided that they were friends, but they had hardly spoken to each other about more than butterflies.

As Amajiki began to mumble something about picturing a cat or potato, Shirayuki pushed herself to be the first to speak. "…b-butterflies…" She saw his head snap in her direction, his narrowed eyes making her flinch back a little. "…I…um…w-well…I like…the blue morpho butterfly, but…ah…wh-which one is your favorite…?"

Something changed in his eyes as he stared at her. He took a few steps closer, but with his eyes still narrowed and his mouth still turned down into a frown, he looked intimidating. "Blue morpho…I…I like those, too."

Before their conversation could progress any further, a number of screams erupted from the end of the street. The hero and two students looked in that direction to see a large, muscled man sprinting down the middle of the sidewalk. He charged past the trio, a bundle of different purses tucked under his arm as well as what looked like a large gun.

"I've got this one! You two try to gather the owners of those bags so I can return them, okay?" Fat Gum took off after the man, leaving the two teenagers behind.

Before an awkward silence could settle, Shirayuki caught the sound of tires screeching. She looked back to the end of the street in time to see a huge cargo truck rounding the corner and speeding in her direction. Her pulse pounded and she saw the driver lean out the window, waving around a gun and screaming at everyone to get out of his way.

_This…this is real! This is a villain! Or a criminal! I have to do something!_ She gritted her teeth and moved quickly. Her right arm lifted and she positioned her legs the way Bakugou had showed her to keep herself steady. Heat raced along her arm and she closed her eyes as a powerful blast left her hand to try to take out one of the front tires to stop the truck.

Meanwhile, Amajiki moved to try to clear the street of civilians. When he turned his attention back to the street, he saw her releasing multiple little bursts to try to take out the tires. She succeeded in popping one, but the man behind the wheel was tenacious. The truck was now speeding straight for her, the popped tire sending up sparks as the metal of the wheel grinded over the pavement.

_I need…a big blast. I don't know if I can do this! What if it happens again? Like last time…when that villain died. I don't want to accidentally kill another villain, but he was willing to hurt these innocent people!_ She heard the driver shouting something at her, but it was hard to hear over the shouts of civilians.

"Aim for the front of the truck." The advice was quiet, from right beside her. Amajiki's quirk turned his right hand into a massive clamshell to protect them both if the man tried to shoot.

"…I…I can't…my balance…I'll fall over…" Tears of panic sprang to her eyes. _I can't do it! I can't do anything! This is just one criminal and a truck, but I still can't-! _Shirayuki's eyes widened as she felt a pressure against her back. "…S-Suneater…?!"

He bowed his head, lifting his right arm to keep her head protected from potential gunfire. His left fingers extended, morphing into long tentacles that wrapped around her waist. The older student's feet became hooves, planting firmly against the ground below. "You…need to send a long shot into the front…for as long as you can," he advised. "…I'll support you…"

"…o-okay…um…b-brace yourself…!" Just as the truck sped up more, Shirayuki lifted her left arm and sent a combined blast from both hands into the front of the truck. She was pressed tighter against her upperclassman's chest, her teeth gritting at the awkward position as well as the strain of maintaining this blast.

The longest she had ever held a blast was about ten seconds. She usually released short bursts that could vary in power, but this was different. A long blast. Enough to hold the truck at bay as Fat Gum came barreling past them to apprehend the man driving it.

She was starting to tremble after a full minute. After two minutes, Shirayuki began to feel drowsy and struggled to keep her eyes open, her arms up. Low blood sugar and pain were quickly taking their toll on her. The heat from her blast was making her arms burn, the recoil and pressure of the blast were making her muscles ache and her bones feel like they might cave in.

Behind her, she could hear the scrape of hooves over pavement and was vaguely aware of the fact that she and Amajiki were being pushed backwards by the blast and the truck driving into it. Shirayuki managed to hold the blast until Fat Gum got the man out of the truck. The second that she let the blast die, her knees gave out beneath her and she went limp in Amajiki's grasp.

She came back to consciousness just a few minutes later, on the ground. Trembling, with tears rolling down her face. Shirayuki saw her upperclassman kneeling next to her, trying to figure out what to do. He looked scared and turned, trying to get Fat Gum's attention. She lifted a hand, shaking almost too much to get a grip on anything.

For Shirayuki, low blood sugar brought on feelings of weakness. Fatigue. She wanted to tell Amajiki that she needed some food from the pouch on her costume's belt. Her mouth refused to cooperate, her thoughts too muddled to really form a fully coherent sentence anyway.

Thankfully, Fat Gum finally seemed to realize what was going on and rushed over to the two students. Apparently he knew exactly what the problem was and grabbed the pouch from her belt, rummaging around for one of the little cakes she had packed. He started tearing off a small piece from the cake, holding it out for her to take.

As she took it, he released a sigh of relief. "So you get those fits, too, huh?"

Shirayuki drew her mask down, grateful for the fact that he seemed to understand the low blood sugar fit, but also confused by it. _Did my father…have a low blood sugar fit in front of him…?_ Her embarrassment quickly overshadowed the puzzlement as she realized her mouth was in full view as she ate.

"…are you okay…?" Amajiki timidly muttered, averting his gaze.

"…I-I'm…fine…I should be…um…"

"Maybe we should call it quits for a while until you-"

"N-no! Um…I mean…I w-want to keep patrolling…please…"

Fat Gum grinned. "Alright! That's the spirit!"


	48. Chapter 48

NeonHorizon: This is a lengthier chapter than usual. Somehow, the chapters with Tamaki end up being longer than normal. Which is weird since he doesn't talk that much.

* * *

Shirayuki's second day as an intern was much calmer than her first. She was grateful, but slightly disappointed at the same time. _I…need to get stronger. I need more experience…if I want to be like my father…if I want people to be able to rely on me for protection._ Trudging along beside Amajiki, she had her head bowed and her right hand toyed with the hairband on her wrist.

Fat Gum insisted on her upperclassman walking her home again. When she tried to protest, not wanting to make the boy go out of his way, the hero simply grinned. He explained that he wanted them to try talking so they could push past their shyness a little more.

The first day, their walk home was mostly silent with the exception of Amajiki occasionally asking if she felt shaky at all. Both teenagers were still extremely anxious. Both were too nervous to attempt an actual conversation. Especially after what they had gone through on their first day working together.

When she thought about how she had needed him to anchor her, she felt guilty. _Bakugou-kun showed me how to stand. I shouldn't have needed help. What if…what if Amajiki-senpai had gotten hurt?_

"C-cats…"

She looked over at the older student with timid curiosity, peering through the curtain of her dark violet hair. "…cats…?"

"Uh…you like cats…so I…did some studying last night…" He trailed off, eyes narrowed into a glare that he directed at the ground as he continued walking beside her. "What's your…favorite breed?"

"…ah…um…w-well I…I like all cats, but…um…i-if I had to pick one…that I like in particular…I-I'd say…exotic shorthair…" Shirayuki felt her face growing warm behind her mask. She was a little embarrassed to get so excited, but cats were something she really enjoyed talking about. The girl loved anything even remotely involving cats.

"…exotic shorthair…" Amajiki nodded to himself, moving a little closer as they got into the station to wait for their train. "They're the ones…with flat faces? And…um…their hair is short, but…kind of fluffy…right?" He saw her nod from the corner of his eye. "D-do you have any cats?"

"…I have…seven cats right now…um…m-most are just temporary…my grandmother and I…we take in cats until they find new homes…but…we have a kitten now…my classmate wanted to adopt her, but…he can't have her at home yet so…we're watching her for him…"

As they boarded the train, he gave her a curious glance. "That's…a lot of cats," he quietly commented.

Shirayuki stood beside him in silence as the train began to move. Both had their heads down to avoid making eye contact with the various strangers around them. She felt bad that she had not researched butterflies or something else he might like to talk about. _He…researched cats…so he could try to talk to me…._

There was a group of other teenagers standing near them, huddled together and seeming to be playing a mobile game on their phones. They were wearing uniforms from a different high school so these were strangers. The other students were being pretty loud and rowdy. Whatever game they were playing seemed to be exciting because when one of them slammed into Shirayuki's back in their enthusiasm, they failed to even notice.

She stumbled forward, releasing a quiet squeak of surprise and flushing pink after making that sound. A hand held her shoulder, steadying her as the owner cast a frown in the direction of the other students. "…I-I'm okay…" she assured him.

Amajiki still looked a little upset, but lowered his gaze down to her for a moment and then away. "…sorry…" He released her shoulder, moving back a little. "I'm…not really any help, am I? Even yesterday…all I could do was try to support you. You had to stop that truck…I couldn't do that without getting closer..."

"…n-no…I…um…I couldn't have done it without your support though…!" she protested. "…I…definitely would've fallen down…and I would've lost my focus…the blast would have faded and…I-I really…appreciated your help…!"

His face started to turn pink and he turned his head to the side. "You don't have to say that."

The rest of the ride to the station was spent in silence as they both reflected on the past two days and mentally, as well as emotionally, prepared themselves for the next day. No one else bumped into them. No one bothered them. The calm was shattered upon reaching the station, though.

"Tamaki! Shirayuki! Over here!" a voice cheerfully called to them.

The girl turned to find Togata standing near their stop with an older girl beside him. This girl was taller than Shirayuki and had long, really smooth-looking periwinkle blue hair. _Who…is that?_ Her crimson eyes widened as the girl rushed over with Togata close behind. "…ah…?!"

"This is Shirayuki? She's so tiny!" the older girl exclaimed. She smiled and leaned down so she was at eye-level with Shirayuki. "Your quirk converts calories into energy blasts, right? That's so neat! You can probably eat as much as you want and never gain any weight, right?"

"…I…um…th-that's…actually a problem…for me…"

"Shirayuki, this is Nejire. Nejire, this is Shirayuki Ume." Togata beamed, almost as if he was proud of this meeting. Almost as if he had set this up intentionally. He put a hand on Amajiki's shoulder when the dark-haired boy looked like he planned to sneak away from the group. "What do your friends call you, Shirayuki? You have a nickname?"

"…m-my friends call me "Yuki"…" she admitted.

"Awesome! Okay, that's what we're going to call you then! We're friends, right?" The blond student gave her a smile as bright as the sun that no one in their right mind could have frowned at. He saw her give a timid nod and put his other hand on her shoulder, not so subtly nudging her toward Amajiki.

"Yay! Friendship!" Nejire giggled, walking with them as Togata began guiding the other two out of the station.

"You could say I "ship" Tamaki and Yuki," Togata joked. "Friend_ship_! Get it?"

"…Mirio, please…" Amajiki was visibly trembling.

"That was a joke! Darn! I was hoping to make Yuki laugh a little!"

"Hey, hey! We should go somewhere for food. I bet you're super hungry after working, right, Yuki?" Nejire gave her a hopeful stare.

"…I…um…I-I have to get home…I'm sorry…" she apologized, bowing her head.

Togata and Nejire shared a look of faint disappointment, but conceded. "Maybe some other time," the boy assured her.

Shirayuki separated from the three older students and watched from a distance as Amajiki seemed to relax little by little in Togata's presence. _Togata-senpai…really is a sunny person…like a real hero. I wish…I could be as confident as he is. _She turned to start walking home and spotted a familiar figure in the clusters of people around the outside of the station.

_Is that…?_ Shirayuki quickly lowered her head as she tried to avoid meeting their gaze. Behind her mask, her mouth twitched into a frown. The figure in question looked like Bakugou, mostly. Except that his hair was different. It was smoothed down and neatly brushed so she glanced up again to be sure it was him.

The girl walked slowly, her gaze drifting back to him frequently. He had been looking her way at first, but now he was storming off down the sidewalk in a huff. She kept a distance and felt a little creepy about watching him, but this was so strange to see. It was the same level of strange as when she had seen one of the cats sit back in a corner of the couch like a person so it could clean its stomach.

_Why…? His hair looks so different. What happened? He seems…angrier than usual…?_ Shirayuki continued to walk behind him for a few blocks, very confused by what she was seeing. _It…almost seems like…he had a bad day._

As often as he picked on her, she felt sad when she imagined him having a difficult day. He did pick on her pretty often and he scared her a lot of the time, but there were so many times when he showed a weird soft side and would try to push her to be stronger. She wondered what could have happened to make him so upset. This seemed to not be from anger, but frustration.

The girl was so distracted, so deep in thought as she watched her classmate, that she was not paying attention to where she was walking. Shirayuki stepped out into the road, while the light flashed the signal to not cross. Everything happened in a blur. One second she was crossing the street, the next second a hand was yanking her backwards onto the sidewalk by the back of her uniform blazer as a van sped past just a foot in front of her with its horn honking.

Shirayuki's crimson eyes widened, tears blurring her vision as it sank in that she had almost been hit by that van. It was going really fast and definitely would have broken some bones, if not killed her. Knees trembling, she looked over her shoulder to the kind stranger still gripping the back of her blazer.

The man stared down at her with concern for a moment and then looked away, grimacing. "Be careful," he muttered, the cigarette between his lips twitching as he spoke. He waited for her to seem more composed before he let go of her blazer and mumbled something to himself.

Her gaze briefly flitted over the stranger's features, lingering on the deep scar on his forehead. "…th-thank you, sir…"

"You shouldn't walk with your head down; you're gonna get hurt doing that."

"…I…I'll watch where I'm going…thank you…um…" She rummaged in her bag and withdrew a few of her extra little cakes. They were individually wrapped so she hoped he would accept these small tokens of her gratitude. "…I-I know it isn't much, but…please take these…"

When the light changed, Shirayuki walked as swiftly as possible across the street to get away from the awkward situation. _I…could have died! Because I was…watching Bakugou. That would have been so embarrassing, even if I just got hurt! A hero…getting hit by a car because they were staring at someone!_ She shook her head, trying to shake off the image of her classmate with neatly combed hair.

Her grandmother greeted her with a modest meal waiting in the kitchen. "Goodness, Ume! You look pale! Are you feeling alright? You kept your blood sugar up today, didn't you?" She approached to feel the girl's forehead, checking for a fever. "You don't feel warm. Is it your blood sugar? Ume, you shouldn't push yourself too hard, you know."

"…I know, I'm…I'm sorry…"

The old woman tilted her head, frowning. "Are you alright? Did something happen?"

It would be embarrassing to admit what had happened. She bowed her head, trying to hide how her face was turning pink with shame. "…n-nothing, I just…um…Grandmother, I made another friend today…she's a third year student…"

"Oh? Another third year friend?" She beamed. "You're just like Umetarou; making so many new friends!"

_Just like Umetarou…just like my father._ Hearing that brought a smile to her face and she put her arms around her grandmother in a warm hug. _I wish…he was here. I wish my father could be here to help me through this. I wish he could see…my friends…and see how hard I'm trying to become a hero._

She ate dinner and listened to her grandmother talk about a sale at the supermarket that was happening on Sunday. "…I could…get the groceries that day…" she offered. It was a big step for her. The supermarket would be really crowded and she always feared large crowds, but she knew how difficult it would be for her grandmother to try to manage so many bags.

"That would be nice. Oh! You know what? Ume, you should ask Shinsou-kun to tag along and help you! We could have him over for cake afterwards. Oh, he's such a sweet boy! I know he'd help you."

"…I'll…I'll ask him…" Shirayuki helped wash dishes and then went to her room, sitting on the edge of her bed with her phone in her hands. _Shinsou. We haven't spoken since the day before yesterday. I want to talk to him, but I'm…nervous. I'm not sure what to say to him now that we're not…_There was a sharp banging sound at her window and she jumped, nearly dropping her phone.

She went to the window and opened the blinds just a crack to peer out. Crimson met crimson and she jolted backwards. "…B-Bakugou-kun…?!"

"Unlock the window, Ume! Let me in!"

Panic made her heart race. _Does he know I was looking at him?! Is he angry? I didn't see him look back though! What does he want?_ She peeked out again and realized that he had apparently gone home to change out of his uniform. Now he was wearing a hooded sweatshirt with the hood pulled up to hide his flat, neatly combed hair from view. "…um…it's…kind of late…"

"Let me in or I'll make you wish you did it the first time!" he snarled. He waited for the lock to click before sliding her window open and hauling himself into her room. "What the hell are you blushing about?"

"…you're…in my room…"

"So what? It's not that big of a deal!" he argued. The boy saw her trembling and his glare softened. "Whatever. I'm hanging out with you, got it? I'll leave when I'm ready."


	49. Chapter 49

Shirayuki watched her classmate cross the room to close her door, her pulse starting to quicken. She had never had a friend over so late before. Not that this was ever possible before she entered high school. She was also pretty sure she had never had a boy in her room with the door closed before.

"…why…did you come through the window…?" she finally asked.

Bakugou glared over his shoulder, a hand lifting to tug his hood forward more. As he turned back to her, he shoved his hands in his pockets. "I didn't wanna deal with your grandma. I know that old lady doesn't like me. Pisses me off."

_He…knows?_ The girl bowed her head, very self-conscious about how wide her frown was. She wanted to put a mask on, but she was unsure of how long he planned to stay. Peeking up at him through her dark violet hair, she saw that he actually looked almost hurt for a second. _Does it really bother him that much?_

The boy scowled when he noticed her looking and trudged over to her bed, lingering beside it. His eyes roamed over the various stuffed animals and fixed his glare on the kitten one. The scowl lifted into a smirk. "Which one's your favorite?" he demanded.

Face turning pink with embarrassment, she lifted a trembling hand to push her hair behind her ear. "…I-I…um…the dragon…the big dragon…is actually my favorite…" she confessed.

"What? _This_ one?" He picked it up and examined it, his eyes narrowing. "What the hell? Why's this one your favorite? I gave you a cat one! You love cats!"

"…my grandmother…gave me that one when I moved…b-because I had trouble making friends…and…my mother…had left me…" It hurt to talk about it. Shirayuki had not even told Shinsou about the significance of the dragon stuffed animal.

He stared at it for a moment longer before putting it down. The intensity was gone from his gaze now. His shoulders slouched a bit as he tugged at his hood. Bakugou put his back to her, turning to face her bookshelf. "What'd you do today?"

_What…?_ She nervously toyed with her hairband and half-shrugged to herself. "…I…did some patrolling with my senpai…and Fat Gum…but n-nothing exciting…" Her eyes were cast down as she spoke, her pulse still rapid from having a boy in her room so late. "…did you…um…I mean…wh-what did you…do today…?"

"Doesn't matter." He tried to growl this, but there was still a note of defeat in his tone. He sat on the edge of her bed, glaring up at her when she simply stared. "What the hell are you doing? Sit down. It's your room."

"…r-right…um…" Shirayuki moved toward her desk to get her chair.

"Sit next to me! Do I have to spell it out for you?!"

"…s-sorry…" The girl timidly seated herself beside him, but kept a distance of at least two feet. Her head was down, her fingers anxiously tugging at the hairband around her wrist and teeth closing on the inside of her cheek. _He's upset_, she realized. _Whatever he was upset about before…he's still upset about it. What should I do? I feel bad, but…I don't…I don't want to upset him more by bringing it up…but I've never seen him look this way._

The anger had quickly faded from his expression and now he just looked mildly irritated as well as tired. As if he rarely stayed up this late. "We're going out so why the hell would you sit somewhere else?"

"…we're…not…" She shook her head and slouched a little more, knowing that it was useless to argue. It had never helped before so it was doubtful he would listen now. Instead of focusing on this, she focused on the boy's expression again. "…Bakugou-kun, are you…okay…?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" The demand came in the form of a growl.

"…I just…um…w-well you…seem kind of…down…" Shirayuki felt anxiety forming a lump in her throat, but fought to swallow it. Her hands rested on her knees and her fingertips dug at her skin as she summoned forth some courage. "Bakugou-kun, we're friends and I'm…here for you, if you want to talk! I don't like seeing you look this way!"

**Shift P.O.V**

It had been a rough couple of days. Not only had Best Jeanist more or less destroyed his hair with the horrific combing and styling, but he had yet to do anything heroic or impressive. When he went patrolling, he had hoped to at least catch a purse snatcher or something, but nothing happened. The most memorable thing had been some dumb kids making fun of him at one point.

He started feeling not like his usual self and he hated it. It made him almost feel weak and that made his stomach turn. His plan, when his day had ended with Best Jeanist, was to go to his girlfriend's house and just stay there until he felt better. As much as he hated to admit it, seeing her did make him feel less irritated. Even if he was having to hide his atrocious hairstyle under his hood.

Bakugou knew he had no reason to be surprised. After all, she liked him. He saw it their first day of high school. Out of everyone in class, she was the most impressed by his quirk. When he showed it off, he saw her eyes widen and could see a faint pinkness in her face.

Every time he got anywhere near her after that, she got nervous and fidgeted. So she obviously liked him. Which was perfect because he realized that he really liked her. He liked her weird, shy smiles. He liked the quiet way she laughed and the way she tried to hide it. He liked listening to her talk about something she was passionate about and seeing the look in her eyes when she was petting a cat. He even liked it when she got angry and shouted at him.

When she brought up that he seemed upset, he felt his pulse quicken and he scowled. Lowering his head a little, he tried to hide the fact that his face was heating up to a faint shade of pink. It was humiliating. "You noticed, huh?" There was no reason to hide it. This was Shirayuki Ume; she would never tell anyone.

"…s-so is there…anything I can do…?"

His eyes shifted to the side and he noticed the distance between them. _Why's she sitting over there? Damn it! Just sit next to me!_ The boy's hand darted out and grabbed hers, forcing her to move a bit closer to keep from falling over. "You wanna help me?" he demanded.

Her face was rapidly turning red now. "…I…um…wh-what do you…?"

Being this close, sitting on her bed, with the door closed, all alone, made his pulse speed up even more. It definitely did not help that she was now sitting closer to him and giving him that timid, innocent stare that made him want to get even closer. His free hand lifted to his hood abruptly and he yanked it back, exposing his smooth, flat hair. "Fix this, Ume."

**Shift P.O.V**

Shirayuki felt herself paling as she stared at his hair. "…you…you want me to f-fix your hair…?"

"What's the problem?! Just do it!"

_How…do I fix that?_ She was mentally trying to puzzle through the request and how she could try to fix it. This was a scary situation because she could only imagine how angry Bakugou would be if she made it worse.

He growled and grabbed her other hand. The boy pulled her closer and moved his grip to her wrists, before forcibly running her fingers through his hair over and over, ruffling it and trying to restore its usual chaotic fluffiness. When he seemed satisfied, he pulled her hands away from his hair and glared up at her. "There! It's fixed!"

Her face went bright red as she realized how close he was to her now. "…B-Bakugou-kun…um…why…?" Both of her wrists were still being held by his hands and the heat of his skin against hers did not go unnoticed. _He's…still holding my hands. And he's…sitting on my bed…_She blinked, noticing a pink tint to his face. _Is he…?_

"What're you blushing about, Ume?" he demanded.

"…y-you're…really close…um…"

The boy smirked and tugged her wrists toward him sharply, pulling her closer. "You want me to give you something to really blush about?"

"…ah…n-no…I mean…um…I'm just…I've n-never…h-had someone…over this late and that's…that's why I'm…" Shirayuki was not pulled forward more. Instead, he leaned up and smashed his lips against hers. The girl's eyes widened and her stomach felt like it did a flip. The sudden kiss broke as quickly as it began.

"I've gotta go." He stood abruptly and released her hands, turning away. "Don't tell anybody about this, got it?" Bakugou looked over his shoulder at her to make sure she agreed. She was simply staring at him with wide, crimson eyes. "Good. I'm gonna come back tomorrow so don't make me wait around again."

Shirayuki was still shocked after the kiss. She stood frozen in place as she watched him leave through the window, unable to completely process what had just happened. When she finally moved, it was to open her bedroom door. Immediately, two cats trotted in to seek attention.

The girl fell onto her back on her bed, closing her eyes and feeling exhausted from the day's events. _I was…almost hit by a van…and had to be saved by a normal citizen…because I was looking at Bakugou-kun and now…he…_She covered her mouth and felt her face heating up with a blush again. The past times he had kissed her, she had been absolutely terrified. For some reason, this time was different.

There was no actual fear. Just nervousness. A weird feeling in her chest, but not exactly butterflies. Shirayuki jolted as a cat, one of the chubbiest cats in the house, hopped up onto her stomach. Her eyes opened and met the cat's vibrant green stare. Its face was inches from hers and it yowled before butting its head against her cheek.

_Tomorrow…tomorrow will be different._ She closed her eyes again and carefully ran her fingers over the cat's silky fur. _Tomorrow…I'll be braver. I have to be! I'm…going to be a hero like my father. And he…wouldn't be scared._

The next morning, she ate breakfast quickly with the intention of rushing to Fat Gum's agency to get an early start. She wanted to get stronger, braver. Her rush did not go unnoticed by her grandmother.

"Goodness, Ume! You seem much better today! Do you have to eat so quickly, though? You're scarfing that food down like it's going to disappear!" She laughed gently and shook her head. "So much like Umetarou during his internship."

"…Grandma, I…want to be like he was…I want to be a strong, friendly hero..." Shirayuki quickly finished her meal and cleared her place before grabbing her costume case and bag. She hurried out the door, but nearly tripped when she found the definition of a strong, friendly hero waiting near her gate with Amajiki.

Togata beamed when he saw her and waved. "Hey, Yuki! We're here to walk with you to the station! Come on, Tamaki! Say good morning!"


	50. Chapter 50

"Come on! You can do it! I know you've got what it takes!" Fat Gum stared down at Shirayuki expectantly and saw that her head was bowed. The girl was trembling, her face flushed pink. He shook his head and sighed. "Come on. You've gotta at least try. Just once."

"…I…um…" She fidgeted with the sleeve of her costume and lowered head a bit more. _I wanted to be brave today. I wanted to…show that I can be brave like a real hero. Like my father. So why…can't I do something as simple as this?_

"Tamaki, you try."

The older student tensed and lifted his narrowed, dark indigo eyes to look at the hero. "I-I can't…"

"Are you two really friends? This should be _easy_! I'm really not asking for much here. How can you expect to speak up in front of other people if you can't do this? You're both pretty quiet so I thought it'd be easier for you to talk to each other."

"…I can't…c-call Amajiki-senpai…by his first name…" Shirayuki protested quietly. _Why? I just…want to be able to be a hero so…why can't I talk to him?_

"Are you two really friends?" he asked again.

"Y-yes," they both answered at once. The two students exchanged a glance before looking away. Shirayuki bowed her head again and Amajiki tugged his hood forward to cast his face into shadow.

_We're friends…_The girl glanced toward him a second time, still struggling with the idea that she was friends with third year students. _Togata-senpai said that we're friends and we…talk about cats and butterflies…and he's been walking me home when we finish here in the afternoon. We're friends._

"I-I'll try again," Amajiki conceded. He turned toward her, his eyes still narrowed with intensity as his face began to turn a faint pink. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, summoning forth his courage. When his eyes opened and met hers, they were narrowed and intense. "Y-Yuki."

"Yeah! See? I knew you had it in you, Tamaki! Good job!" Fat Gum patted him on the back, inadvertently pushing him toward the girl. "Okay; now it's her turn. Go ahead and try."

She dropped her gaze to the floor again as she tried to swallow the lump of anxiety forming in her throat. Shirayuki could feel sweat forming at the back of her neck and on her hairline. Her pulse was quick and harsh, her limbs tingling and shaking. Her hands curled into fists at her sides and she forced herself to look up from the floor. "…T-Tamaki…!" she stammered.

The boy's eyes widened a little as his face started to turn red. He swiftly bowed his head and let his hair fall over his eyes. "You…you don't have to push yourself…" he muttered.

"There we go! See? Not so bad, right?" Now it was Shirayuki's turn to be patted on the back, nearly propelling her forward off her feet and into the older student. "Okay! Now that we've got that training out of the way, let's go patrolling!"

Shirayuki walked on Fat Gum's left while Amajiki walked on his right. Of course, both of them stayed a bit behind him as well. She could see her upperclassman from the corner of her eye and she frowned behind her mask.

She knew that their mentor was right; they were both quiet, anxious people. Even now, their postures mirrored each other's. Heads bowed, shoulders a bit hunched. Trying not to draw attention to themselves and failing miserably due to their hero costumes.

The shopping area was fairly busy when they reached it and Shirayuki soon found herself feeling even more anxious. She picked at some loose skin around her left thumbnail as she looked around. _It's…so busy. What if I get separated from Fat Gum? What if a villain attacks? With so many people…I can't use my quirk. I might hurt someone or-!_

A hand suddenly clasped hers as she was about to get carried away by a crowd of shopping housewives. Amajiki pulled gently, drawing her closer. "C-careful." He turned to look away from her, but kept a grip on her hand. "Fat Gum…said we should patrol this block and he'll take the next one. If you'd rather go with him…"

"…n-no…it's…it's okay…" She looked down at where his hand still held hers and felt warmth rising in her face. "…S-Suneater…?"

"R-right. Sorry. Um…just stay close to me," he mumbled, releasing her hand. He started walking ahead of her, but slowly enough for her to keep pace with him.

The shoppers had no issue with stopping the two and asking them a plethora of questions. Almost as if the civilians did not take the two students seriously. Questions were asked about what school they went to, how old they were, who designed their costumes. Both were extremely timid and nervous, but Amajiki seemed to have decided that he had to take the lead.

When he saw Shirayuki starting to get panicky, he excused them from the group of shoppers currently bombarding them with questions and he took the girl with him. Standing in a secluded area with vending machines, they tried to calm down from the stressful situation. Amajiki saw the wet sheen of her crimson eyes and instantly recognized her look of anxiety.

She had only briefly spared him a glance before lowering her eyes to the ground and trying to take deep, even breaths. The combination of the morning's earlier training with Fat Gum and Amajiki, mixed with this crowded shopping center, was a recipe for a panic attack. She shook her head and tried to push away her fear, but it lingered.

"H-here…I got this for you." Her upperclassman's hand came into view above the ground, holding a can of juice.

"…th-thank you…" She accepted the juice can with trembling hands and hesitantly drew down her mask so she could drink it. The sweetness of the pineapple orange juice soothed her nerves a little and she softly thanked him again. _I need to be stronger than this. My father would have been able to handle that crowd without feeling this way. I know it._

The boy leaned against the wall beside her, his own head bowed and hood pulled forward to keep his face in the shadows. "It's…it's not a problem. I know what it's like."

The girl felt a tightening in her chest upon hearing these words. When she started to withdraw like this or act anxious, it was rare that someone sympathized with her. More often than not, the other person would try to assure her that everything was alright; that she was safe, that she had nothing to be afraid of, that she needed to be louder and bolder. Looking over at her upperclassman, she knew without a shred of doubt that he knew exactly how she felt.

"Oh! Hey, hey! You're a hero, right? Can you help me?"

The two students looked in the direction of this high-pitched voice and found a girl around twelve years old standing nearby. She was wearing a worried expression and was approaching them with caution. Shirayuki saw Amajiki tense and tug at his hood. _I need to be brave. I need to…be like my father._

She gave a nod. "…we're…both training to become heroes…what sort of help…do you need…?" To Shirayuki's surprise, the girl grabbed her arm and started pulling. "…ah…?"

"I need you to come with me! It's bad! My friend was playing around and fell and he got hurt! I need help for him!"

"W-wait. We should call an ambulance," Amajiki started to protest.

"There's no time! Please come with me!" the girl pleaded, tugging on Shirayuki's arm.

The violet-haired girl had a sort of anxious twisting feeling in her gut, but ignored it. She had been so nervous among the crowd that it made sense to her that interacting with this stranger would leave her unsettled. _What happened though…? Is her friend still alive?_

**Shift P.O.V**

Something was wrong. Amajiki followed at a distance as Shirayuki was led through the crowd by the girl. Someone this girl's age should be in school at this time of day. A bad feeling started to develop as he picked up his pace.

He wove through the pedestrians on the sidewalk, keeping his eyes on his underclassmen and the girl. His pulse quickened as he saw the younger girl try to draw the teenager into an alley. He broke into a sprint, the bad feeling in his gut increasing and making him almost nauseas.

This was a trap. It had to be. Why else was a girl that young not in school and why was she so desperately trying to get Shirayuki into the alley? He saw the child's expression turn vicious when the dark-haired girl shook her head. "Kcal, wait!" he called, reaching out.

The young girl turned to glare in his direction and an evil grin took form on her face. Her left hand tightened on Shirayuki's arm and her right arm started to bulk up into a horrific, muscular appendage that tore her sleeve. It drew back, readying to smash into his fellow hero in training's face.

Amajiki reached the two just in time. He grabbed Shirayuki's shoulder and drew her to him, his free arm shifting into a large, hardened crab claw to act as a shield for both of them. The force of the young girl's strike pushed him back a bit, but he planted his feet to stabilize himself.

This was a tricky situation. His opponent was a girl that could only be twelve at the oldest, but she was clearly out for blood. Her expression was twisted into a horrible snarl as she readied herself to attack the two young heroes again. Amajiki was reluctant to fight a girl her age, but she was clearly some sort of aspiring villain to come after them like this.

Shirayuki was trembling in his hold, most likely from shock. She closed her eyes and clung to her upperclassman as the girl struck at his armored crab claw again. They were pushed back a bit more and Shirayuki shook her head.

_I have to think of something. We can't fight her; she's just a child. We have to stop her somehow. What can we do? I need to think of a way to detain her without risking hurting her._ He realized then that he would need to let go of his underclassman. "Stay behind me."

**Shift P.O.V**

Guilt began to settle in her stomach as Shirayuki was pushed behind him. She knew this was her fault. She should have stayed with him. She never should have let the younger girl lead her away. Now there was nothing she could do.

Amajiki withstood another strike from the younger girl's bulky, muscled arm and then reached forward with his free hand. Long tentacles took the place of his fingers and wrapped tightly around the girl to trap her arms against her sides. She snarled and shook her head, screaming at him and trying to kick the tentacles away.

"Watch your language, kid! Is that any way to talk to your elders?" Fat Gum approached from the crowd, frowning down at the girl. She swore and attempted to kick him when he got close. "What's going on here?"

"She was trying to lead Kcal into this alley…"

"…I…I'm sorry…" Shirayuki spoke, bowing her head.

"What? Wanna explain yourself here or at the police station?" The hero gave the snarling girl a stern look that made her go still.

After a lengthy amount of questioning, it was uncovered that this girl was actually part of a group of young delinquents. She had been acting as bait to try to lure a young hero into the alley so the group could beat them up and brag about it later. Like hero hunters. The police were notified and the girl was taken into custody.

Needless to say, Shirayuki was a little shaken by this occurrence. It was one thing to fight villains, but this girl had been just a bit younger than her and a civilian. The sort of person that she was supposed to protect as a hero.

Her disheartenment did not go unnoticed by her fellow student. Amajiki walked a bit closer to her when they went to the station to go home. Sat a little closer on the train. Kept a more careful watch over the crowds as they made their way to her house.

"Y-Yuki…are you okay?" he finally asked, his head down.

"…I…don't know…" She was also walking with her head bowed, nervously fidgeting with her hair band as she tried to calm herself. _If he wasn't there…what would have happened? That girl…wouldn't have killed me…would she?_ Her pulse quickened with fear and she felt like her heart was sinking into her stomach.

They were nearing her house and she summoned forth some courage to say what she knew had to be said. "…T-Tamaki…thank you…for saving me…"

He blinked in surprise and looked toward her from the corner of his eye. "I…couldn't let you get hurt." The boy lowered his head a bit more, trying to hide his eyes behind his hair. "W-we're friends, right?"

"…we're friends…" she agreed, nodding.

"And friends help each other…s-so…it's not a big deal," he murmured, looking away. Amajiki was silent for a moment as they drew closer to her house. When they came to her gate, he opened his mouth to say more.

Her phone suddenly pinged with an alert and Shirayuki drew it from her pocket. "…s-sorry…one second…" She looked at the screen and frowned. _Midoriya-kun? Why is he…sharing his location?_


	51. Chapter 51

Shirayuki's fourth day as an intern was uneventful. She patrolled with Fat Gum and Amajiki. She tried her best to be louder and more direct when she spoke. However, she was still dwelling on the previous day's failure.

Sitting beside her upperclassman, waiting for the train to reach her station, the girl frowned behind her mask. _My father…never would have fallen for a trap like that. Would he? I should have fought harder. If Amajiki-senpai didn't reach me when he did…I could have really been hurt._

Next to her, the older teenager had his head bowed as well and seemed to be lost in his own thoughts. His hands were starting to slowly curl into fists, eyes narrowed upon the floor as he tried to summon forth some courage. "Yuki."

She jumped a little, having almost forgotten that he was there. "…y-yes…?"

"Tomorrow is your last day…s-so I wanted to tell you…" Amajiki's face was turning pink and the warm hue extended to the tips of his pointed ears. "I-it's been nice…working with you. I'll probably graduate before you start your work study, but…if I'm working at the Fat Gum agency, I really hope we'll work together again."

Her mouth curved into a wide smile behind her mask and she felt a tightening in her chest. "…I…I like working with you, too…T-Tamaki, you're…really cool…your quirk is amazing and…it can't be easy to master, but you handle it well and…you've helped me so many times…I c-can't thank you enough…" She bowed in her seat, her eyes growing a bit watery.

He frowned and leaned forward more so his hair fell over his eyes. "Y-you're…cool, too. For someone your age, you understand your own quirk really well."

"…n-no, I…have a long ways to go, still…if I ever want to be as good as my father was…I want to make him proud…"

They reached their stop and the two students exited the train. Walking side by side, Shirayuki kept her head down so that her dark violet hair fell to partially obscure her face. Behind her mask, she was frowning once more. _I have to get better. To make my father proud. To make Grandma and Fat Gum proud, too!_

Amajiki looked over now, watching her. He could see it in her eyes. She was happy from his compliment, but she was obviously worried, too. "But Calorie Blast had a different quirk," he started.

"His personality was different, too. Yuki…you won't be the same kind of hero he was. You _can't_; you're such different people. But…you're still going to be great." He took a deep breath as they stepped out onto the sidewalk. "Yuki, this is…difficult. I just…I like-"

"Targets sighted! There's no escape this time!"

Shirayuki jolted as she felt a sudden, warm hug from behind and released a muffled squeak from behind her mask. Wide crimson eyes lifted toward Amajiki in alarm, but he seemed only a little surprised. More than anything, he seemed a bit embarrassed as Togata slung an arm around his shoulders. _Togata-senpai? So…?_

"Gotcha! That was such a cute noise! Do it again! Do it again!" Nejire hugged Shirayuki a little bit tighter and giggled.

"Mirio?" Amajiki gave his friend a questioning look.

"Tomorrow is Yuki's last day interning, right? We didn't get to go for dinner last time so let's go tonight. You're not busy, right, Yuki?"

Seeing that sunny, hopeful smile made it difficult to refuse the offer. "…I just…um…I-I'll have to call my grandmother…and let her know…"

He beamed and gave her a thumbs up. "Go ahead! We can wait!"

When she called her grandmother, the old woman was ecstatic to hear that she was going out with friends. Still, Shirayuki felt guilty about not eating with her grandmother. She promised herself that she would bake some sweets for her on her day off to make it up to her.

Nervousness made her stomach do flips as she found herself seated beside Nejire, across from Togata and Amajiki. The restaurant Togata chose was kind of popular, but he swore the food was really good. Not that Shirayuki had much of an appetite. She ordered something simple and kept her head down as she listened to the others talk.

_Friends…with third year students. They're all going to graduate and they'll be joining hero agencies at the end of the school year._ She lifted her gaze to look at Togata through her dark hair. He was smiling and seemed to be telling a story about something that happened while he was patrolling that day. Whatever it was, it was so funny that he was actually having trouble getting the words out between laughing.

At her side, Nejire was grinning and trying to suppress her own laughter at the story. She seemed to be completely at ease and her confidence made Shirayuki feel a flicker of envy. Across from Nejire, Amajiki was staring at Togata and the corner of his mouth twitched ever so slightly as if he was struggling to not smile.

"Oh! Hey, we need to exchange numbers before I forget! Yuki, what's your number?" The blond upperclassman gave her a cheerful look as he pulled his phone from his pocket.

She blinked slowly and tilted her head slightly. "…my number…?"

"So we can keep in touch. In case we want to hang out." He gave her a reassuring smile, seeing her confusion. "We're still going to be friends, even if your internship ends, right?"

**Shift P.O.V**

"Shinsou-kun! I'm so sorry, but Ume isn't home yet."

"Oh…okay. Sorry to bother you, Shirayuki-san." He rubbed the back of his neck and reached for his phone to check the time. _I thought she'd be home by now. Maybe I was too eager._ Frowning, he released a sigh and prepared to head home.

"Do you want to wait for her? She should be home soon. Knowing Ume, she won't want to be out for too long."

"Out?" Shinsou waited for her to unlock the gate and followed her to the house._ Did she go somewhere with her friends from class? _The thought left him feeling a little disheartened. Sort of lonely.

The old woman nodded as she ushered him into the house. "She called me from the station. I guess some older students asked her to go somewhere for dinner to celebrate. You know tomorrow's her last day of interning. I'm sure she's excited to get back to normal school. You know how crowds bother her. She's been like that ever since she was little.

"I remember one time when she was just a tiny, little thing. Umetarou and her mother took her to a festival and poor Ume got separated from them in the crowd. My son searched everywhere for her all night and finally found her asleep behind the shrine with a stray cat on her lap! Can you believe that?"

He could not help but half-smile. It was pretty easy for him to believe. He remembered how Ume looked when she transferred to his elementary school, years ago. Exactly the sort of child that would run away from the crowd and befriend a stray cat on temple grounds.

Shirayuki's grandmother bustled around the kitchen and fixed him a plate of food while telling him a few more stories about when Shirayuki was very young. "You know, I used to worry about her. When she said she wanted to try for UA, I was afraid she might struggle. She's so quiet sometimes. But she's really come out of her shell this year! I think it all started around the time you became friends!"

Hearing this made him frown slightly, feeling his heart beat a little faster. _Did I help her?_ He had not thought about this before. He had focused most of his attention on how he felt about her, about their relationship.

Since they became close, she had seemed to gather more and more friends. Which was frustrating sometimes. Perhaps she was gaining confidence and he had just failed to notice. Guilt started to settle in the pit of his stomach and he lowered his head, staring down at his meal as he absently moved the food around with his chopsticks.

Shirayuki was interning with a hero agency, working with a third year student. She had a group of friends from class. She was trying hard to make herself better so she could become a hero like her father had been. Trying to make her dream come true.

Meanwhile, he was still in general studies. Trying, but struggling. Shinsou felt an increasing loneliness growing in his heart. A fear came with it. Fear that she would continue to move forward and he would be left behind. _I'll work harder_, he promised himself as he resumed eating. _I'll get into the hero course. No matter what it takes. I'm going to move forward with her._

**Shift P.O.V**

"…I'm home…" Shirayuki heard her grandmother call to her from the sitting room and went to see her, carrying a plastic shopping bag. Upon leaving the restaurant, she had mentioned feeling guilty about her grandmother eating alone so her upperclassmen insisted on helping her put together a bag of gifts to make up for it. It was an odd assortment since four people had added to it, but at least one of the gifts was bound to cheer her up.

"Ume! We've got a visitor. See, Shinsou-kun? Didn't I tell you she would be home soon?"

Her heart skipped a beat when she heard that name and she quickened her steps. Sure enough, Shinsou was sitting on the couch with her grandmother. A cat was sprawled across his lap, purring contentedly as he ran his fingers along its dark fur. When his soft indigo eyes lifted and met her crimson ones, the boy half-smiled. "…Sh-Shinsou…"

"I wanted to see how your internship was going," he admitted. Shinsou carefully stood, moving the cat off of his lap, and looked at her bag. He raised an eyebrow and nodded toward her grandmother in a silent question.

"…ah…right…Grandma, I…brought you some gifts…from me and my upperclassmen…um…" Shirayuki was blushing pink behind her mask as she felt Shinsou still looking at her. "…is it…okay if we talk in my room…?"

"What's this?" The elderly woman accepted the bag and beamed. "Aren't these lovely? Well, I suppose it should be alright. Keep your door open, though."

Even though they were not longer dating, Shirayuki still felt a fluttery sensation in her chest when she looked at the boy. She led the way to her room, trying to calm herself by taking slow, even breaths. _I…need to be better at controlling my nervousness_, she told herself. _Heroes don't get nervous. Do they?_

Shinsou walked along behind her and waited patiently while she tidied her room. When he was finally able to enter, he seemed to immediately focus on the kitten stuffed animal on her bed. He crossed the room and sat on the edge of Shirayuki's bed, lifting the plush toy to look it over. "So…how have you been?"

"…I've…been really busy…um…wh-what have you been doing at school…?"


	52. Chapter 52

"Time really flies, huh? Hard to believe it's your last day already!" Fat Gum patted her on the back, sending her stumbling forward a step.

"…I…I appreciate everything you've done for me, sir…" Shirayuki bowed respectfully. "...I've…learned a lot while I was here and...I just wish I could have been of more help…"

"Are you kidding?! Yuki, you've been _great_! You've come a long way. I remember when you first came here, you had trouble keeping eye contact and you mumbled everything. Now you're able to keep looking at me when you talk to me. You're still a little quiet, though, huh?" He ruffled her hair and beamed. "It's alright though! Tamaki's quiet, too!"

Fat Gum took a step back and continued to grin. "Someday you'll be able to shout like it's no big deal! I've got faith in you, Yuki. You're gonna be a great hero; just like Umetarou."

Shirayuki felt like her heart was swelling. Tears blurred the edges of her vision and she wiped at her eyes quickly. "…th-thank you…"

"Hey, no tears! Today's gonna be a great day, even if it's the last day of your internship. Let's get out there and start patrolling." He turned toward Amajiki, who was fidgeting a little off to Shirayuki's left. "Tamaki, got any words of encouragement for her?"

The boy tensed and quickly lifted his head, eyes narrowed. He glanced toward her before tugging his hood forward more. "You're…doing really well," he started. "Um…I'm not…good at this…difficult…uh…" Amajiki took a deep breath and turned toward her, his dark indigo eyes focusing on her crimson ones. "Yuki, you're…really strong. I know you'll get even better with practice and…you're a good person. Um…you're a good friend…and I…hope we can stay friends, even after your internship ends…"

She had heard him say something similar the day before, but she still felt her stomach do a flip when she heard it. Heat filled her face as she nodded, smiling shyly behind her mask. "…I…want to stay friends…" she agreed.

Shirayuki decided that since it was her last day, she would push herself a bit more than usual. Rather than walk behind Fat Gum, she made herself walk beside him. It was unnerving to have people look her way, but she knew it was necessary. People looked at heroes as beacons of hope. If she was afraid of being looked at, she felt like that would make her less of a hero.

Her bravery seemed to be contagious. Amajiki adjusted his hood and came up to walk with the other two, but kept his head down as he walked. The crowds parted for Fat Gum, who was calling greetings to various people as he went.

The girl glanced toward her mentor and felt sadness bubbling up. She really had enjoyed working with Fat Gum and Amajiki for the past few days. Fat Gum was the closest thing to a father figure she had now. He had even known her father so he had been able to tell her a few stories about when he had worked with Calorie Bomb. The thought of not seeing this hero again made her feel a little depressed.

"Kcal."

She turned her head and met her upperclassman's eyes for a second before he looked down again. "…Suneater…?"

"Um…if you want to…you should visit sometimes." He received a pat to his back that sent him forward a bit.

"That's right! Kcal, you'll have to drop by the agency to see us sometimes! You know Suneater wouldn't have a problem bringing you along! Of course, you can't really patrol with us, but it'd still be pretty nice for you to visit! I could tell you some more stories about Umetarou!" Fat Gum, pleased with the idea, beamed again.

The day was peaceful and the sunny weather made Shirayuki unable to stay sad. As she patrolled, she started to think about Shinsou. When they sat in her room, they had talked about what they had been doing that week. While she told him everything about patrolling and stopping the speeding truck a few days ago, he had been kind of quiet.

Shinsou seemed more tired than usual. He was careful about what he said. It was as if he was keeping a secret from her, but he seemed reluctant to not tell her. Like it was something he wanted to talk to her about, but he knew he had to keep it from Shirayuki.

The patrolling went without incident and her last day of the internship ended too soon. Before she had to leave, she summoned forth some courage and tugged down her mask to show her full face. "Th-thank you for letting me intern with you. I appreciate everything you've done for me, sir." Shirayuki bowed, trying to hold back tears.

"Hey, no crying, okay? What did I tell you? You're gonna visit, right?" Fat Gum saw her give a small nod. "Listen, Yuki. When you're looking for a work study in the future, you look here first, okay? I'm always gonna have a spot open for you. You show some real promise. I wanna see you use every bit of your potential and become an even better hero than Umetarou! I know you've got it in you!"

"…e-even better…than my father…?"

"That's exactly what he'd want! Umetarou would tell you to go beyond! Be even better than he was, in your own way! I know you can do it, too! He's not here to say it, but I will; I'm proud of how well you're doing." Seeing tears roll down her cheeks, he pulled the girl into a hug. "Hey, c'mon! What'd I say about crying?"

The beginning of the commute from the hero agency felt awkward. Shirayuki had never cried in front of Amajiki. While she had been crying and Fat Gum hugged her, trying to cheer her up, the boy had stood off to the side with a frown. Now, as they sat side by side on the train, he glanced over at her.

Tears still shone in her eyes as she bowed her head and fidgeted with the hem of her blazer sleeve. _I cried in front of them. Heroes…shouldn't cry. Especially over something like that. But he…Fat Gum said he was proud of me_…Fresh tears spilled down her face and she raised a hand to wipe them away.

A handkerchief was swiftly held out in front of her before her sleeve could reach her face. Amajiki had his head down, a warm hue dusting his cheeks. "H-here," he stammered. When she accepted it and wiped her eyes, he slouched a bit lower and bit his lip for a moment. "I'm…not good at this. I just…don't want to see you cry…I'm not sure how to cheer you up. Mirio is better at this sort of thing."

"…th-thank you…"

He nodded. "C-Calorie Bomb…I saw him on TV when I was a kid. I didn't say anything before because I…didn't want to weird you out. Calorie Bomb…was always really confident…and outgoing. Kind of like Mirio. That's…the kind of hero that people always notice. I really respect that kind of bravery…I always…thought Calorie Bomb was amazing. But, Yuki, you're…it's like what Fat Gum said…you're going to be even better."

Shirayuki's chest felt tight as she glanced toward him. Amajiki's head was down, his face still a vibrant shade of red from embarrassment. "Tamaki." She took a deep breath as she waited for him to look her way. "I...I know you're going to be an amazing hero," the girl started. "…you…are really good with your quirk…and you're braver than I am…I-I admire how much you're able to push yourself…when you're patrolling…and your words…really do make me feel better…"

"Yuki…" He rubbed the back of his neck and lowered his head again, but there was a small, timid smile curving his lips. "I…um…th-thank you."

They walked to her house at a slow pace, talking about light topics to try to keep their spirits lifted. Shirayuki was glad that she had started researching butterflies and she could tell he had been researching cats again. Their first one on one conversation had felt awkward, but by this point in their friendship it went smoothly. She found it becoming increasingly easier to talk to him.

At her gate, she looked to her upperclassman with a frown behind her mask. "…thank you…for walking me home…um…I'll have to visit the agency again…"

"If you want to go…just tell me and I'll walk you there." He held up his phone, nodding at it. "You have my number now."

"…right…I'll let you know…"

Amajiki lowered his phone and looked down at it. "If I…want to talk, is it okay if I call you?"

"…o-of course…we're…we're still going to be friends so…if you want to talk…you can call me whenever you want…"

"Right…we're friends." The small, timid smile from before began to form again. He paused, summoning some courage, and raised his eyes to meet hers. "Yuki, do you-?"

"Yuki! Awesome! I was hoping you'd be home!" The familiar voice called from down the street, near the corner behind her.

"I-I have to go. I'm sorry." Amajiki turned quickly and began walking off as swiftly as possible without running.

"…ah…?" She stared after her upperclassman and jolted when Kirishima's hand rested on her shoulder. Turning to face him, she felt her face heat with embarrassment. "…K-Kirishima…?"

The boy's eyes widened and he grinned. "That's a first!"

"…what…?"

"You always call me "Kirishima-kun". I was wondering if you'd ever drop the "-kun". You know you can call me Eijiro if you really want to!" A pink tint rose to his face when he said this. "Hey, so that was the third year from your internship, right? He walked you home?"

The girl's embarrassment grew as she nodded. "…he…walked me home every day during my internship…"

"That's pretty chivalrous." Kirishima's hand took hers, nonchalantly. He saw her face turn even redder and grinned. "I missed you. I mean, I missed _everyone_. But I really wanted to see you so I couldn't wait until Monday to see you again. Sorry. That probably sounds stupid-"

"N-no!" She saw him blink in surprise and lowered her head. "…I…don't think it's stupid…to want to see someone…I liked working with a hero…and Amajiki-senpai…but I m-missed seeing you…and everyone else…"

His grin spread and the faint pink tint rose to his face again. "Well good! Are you busy tomorrow? We could all go somewhere! I bet they'd want to hang out again before we have to go back to school."

Shirayuki nodded. "…I have to get groceries in the afternoon…but…I'm free in the morning…"

"Awesome! We can meet at the station. Does that sound okay?"

"…that sounds fine…um…what time…?"

"Nine? I mean, everyone should be up by then anyway, right? I'll tell everyone else." His grin softened into a smile now. "I really missed you, Yuki."


	53. Chapter 53

His heart was racing at a hummingbird's pace. He checked the time, frowning a little as he tried to calm down. _I just saw her yesterday. What am I nervous about? I already told her how I feel._

"Hey! How long have you been waiting?" Kaminari waved, grinning as he approached with Ashido beside him.

"Yuki-chan isn't here yet? She's usually early." The pink-haired girl dug in her purse for her phone and typed out a quick message to their friend.

"Sorry I'm late. Wait. Aren't we missing someone?" Sero joined the group and raised an eyebrow. "Where's Yuki-chan?"

"Bakugou's missing, too," Kaminari pointed out.

"He said he couldn't make it." Kirishima rubbed the back of his neck, checking his phone again. When he invited Bakugou, the other boy had been irritated about not being able to go. He never said that, exactly, but his tone was enough to tell Kirishima how he really felt.

"…I…I'm sorry I'm late…" The voice was soft, a bit unsure. This voice came from his left and made Kirishima's heart skip a beat.

He turned his head to look at her and felt a warm, pink tint rise to his cheeks. Shirayuki was wearing a black medical mask with bright turquoise butterflies on it, matching the turquoise sundress she wore. Over the dress, she was wearing a denim jacket with a handful of little butterfly pins on it. Her long, dark violet hair was pulled away from her face with a white ribbon.

_She looks adorable! How am I supposed to act manly when she looks this cute?_ The boy greeted her with a grin, hoping the unmanly blush on his face went overlooked. "Hey, Yuki! You look-!"

"Awww! Yuki-chan, that outfit is super cute! Where did you get it?" Ashido approached her, getting between the dark-haired girl and Kirishima.

He frowned and looked away, trying to hide his disappointment. _It's okay. We've got all morning to hang out_, he told himself.

As the group started walking down the sidewalk toward their destination, Kaminari came up beside him and nudged his elbow. "She looks pretty cute today, huh?" he asked with a grin.

"Uh…yeah." Kirishima was hesitant to show too much excitement, but every time he looked at her, he felt his pulse quicken a bit. His palms were starting to sweat a little and he lowered his head.

"So are you going to ask her out?"

"What?! No way! I can't do that right now!"

The blond frowned. "Why not? She's single now."

"Yeah, but it hasn't even been that long. Look, I-I _like_ her, but I'm not going to rush things like that. That's not chivalrous at all." He lifted his eyes to focus on Shirayuki, Ashido, and Sero. The three were walking up ahead of them, talking about internships and their hopes for the rest of the semester.

_I told her how I feel_, he reminded himself. Kirishima had made his feelings for her clear through his note and through talking to her, but he had no desire to push her into anything. At the same time, he did want to ask her out. There were just a few obstacles that were in his way.

Kaminari crossed his arms and shook his head. "Yeah, well, if _you_ don't do it then someone else will. I mean, Bakugou's crushing on her pretty hard."

"I know that! But I want to give it some time, okay?"

"Dude, you know what you need to do? You've got to walk her home tomorrow. I mean, the more time you spend with her, the more chances you'll get. It can't hurt, right?"

"Yeah…? Yeah! You're right, Kaminari! I've got to make the most of every opportunity, right?! I'll do it!"

"There you go! Because if you don't ask her out, she might get snatched up by an upperclassman or something! We really don't want that to happen. She's _our_ Yuki-chan."

_He's right._ Kirishima looked at Shirayuki again as she lifted a hand to stifle a laugh. He could still hear her laughter and it made his heart feel like it was melting. _I'd die for that smile she's hiding._

**Shift P.O.V**

_I'm too early._ Shinsou frowned and tipped his head back, staring up at the sky. Thick, dark thunderclouds were blocking out the sun and the air felt like it was charged with electricity. It smelled like rain already and it made his frown deepen a little. _Should I wait for her inside? Or stay out here?_

The door opened and the sweet aroma of cookies wafted out of the house. "Oh! Shinsou-kun, you're here early! Ume hasn't come back yet."

He turned to find Shirayuki's grandmother shuffling outside with a cat in her arms. "Good afternoon," he greeted her politely.

"Afternoon, indeed. If she doesn't hurry, it's going to be too late!" She handed the cat to him over the gate and unlocked the gate to let him in. "Hm? Shinsou-kun, is that a bruise I see?"

The boy tugged his sleeve down to hide the dark mark from her. "Just a training accident," he murmured.

"A training accident? Oh! I see! You're training like Ume!"

Somehow, hearing this made him feel a little proud. "That's right."

"Well, come in, come in! I'll fix you up! You know, Ume never comes to me for help with this sort of thing."

"This sort of thing?" Shinsou followed her into the house, gently closing the door behind him while still carrying the cat.

She nodded as she led the way to the kitchen and started filling a kettle to make tea. "I haven't used my quirk in a while."

_I thought her quirk involved cats_, he thought as he looked down at the feline in his arms. He sat at the table when she instructed him to and let the cat down onto the floor. He winced, rolling up his sleeves and looking at the bruises. They were shallow; simple impact bruises from falling during training. The pain was fading already, but he wanted to let Shirayuki's grandmother use her quirk.

The old woman dragged a chair over and gently took the boy's left arm in both hands. She turned it a little, examining the bruises, and then closed her eyes. Her fingers skimmed over the bruises, leaving a thin film in their wake.

Shinsou stared down at the film and saw it gradually melt into his skin. The bruises faded, along with what pain was left, and soon there was no sign that they had ever been there. _She has a healing quirk?_

Beaming, she opened her eyes and looked at her handiwork. "There we are. Now for the other arm. Give it here."

It was only after she had healed his bruises that she offered an explanation. "My husband's side of the family, the Shirayuki family, all possess quirks involving ice. My own family, the Naosu family, possess a couple of healers. My grandmother was a decent healer and I have a niece with a healing quirk even stronger than mine. I can only heal small bruises or cuts; she's able to take away much larger injuries and give them to others or take them upon herself."

"Thank you."

"Of course. I like being able to help." The old woman frowned to herself now as she stood and went to make two cups of tea. "That niece of mine. I haven't spoken to her in years. Ume's never even met her."

_With a quirk like that, she probably went to UA or another school for heroes. She's probably busy._ He looked down at his arm again, still amazed at how his bruises were gone. He was glad that she had insisted on helping.

Shinsou was glad that he was training. He wanted to be able to try to transfer to the hero course and he needed to be able to keep up with the students that were currently in that course. They already had months of training that he lacked. The bruises, though. He knew they would just make Shirayuki worry if she saw them.

He was halfway through his cup of tea, casually talking with her grandmother about the progress of his training, when the front door opened. Shinsou heard the soft footsteps approaching down the hall and could picture her timidly approaching. _Here she is._

"…sorry…I'm sorry…I'm late…I l-lost track of time…and…I-I'm here now…"

The boy turned in his seat to look and felt warmth rise to his cheeks. He had to bow his head as a sheepish sort of smile crossed his face. Shinsou had been eager to spend some time with her again, but he forgot how she could make him blush sometimes.

Seeing her bow and listening to her apologize, he had to admire how cute she looked. Even after their time apart, even after she had interned with a pro hero, she was still the sweet, innocent girl that he liked. "We should probably hurry," he remarked, standing. "Thank you for the tea, Shirayuki-san."

**Shift P.O.V**

The supermarket was crowded and she had a lengthy list of groceries. Shirayuki was afraid that it would be crowded due to the sales, but this was more than she had expected. She fidgeted with the hairband around her wrist as she walked briskly through the aisles. Attempting to squeeze into spots so she could grab something quickly and retreat.

It was when she went for some sale meat that it got semi-violent. The group of housewives that were all fighting over the meat were quickly becoming vicious. An elbow slammed into her face and drove her back, but Shirayuki was caught by Shinsou.

The indigo-haired boy glared at the group of women, slipped a handkerchief into her hand for her to tend to her now bleeding nose, and charged into the crowd. He managed to dodge the worst of the fighting women's attacks and soon emerged from the battle victorious, holding up the cuts of meat triumphantly.

"…th-thank you…" She winced as she pulled the handkerchief away from her throbbing nose and lifted her shopping basket for him to put the meat in. _I interned with a pro hero. I should be able to handle going to a crowded supermarket._

"How's your nose?"

"…it hurts a little…but I'm alright…" Shirayuki looked down at the bloody handkerchief and frowned. "…I'm sorry…your handkerchief…um…I'll replace it…"

"It's fine." He half-smiled and rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm just glad you're okay."

"…ah…s-so are we…walking to school tomorrow morning…?"

Guilt settled on his features and Shinsou looked away. "I can walk with you to school, but I can't walk you home. Sorry, but I have training after school tomorrow and it runs kind of long. Will you be okay to walk home alone?"

"…oh…um…y-yes, I can do that…" It was something she knew she had to overcome. Her fear of crowds. Her fear of being looked at. She had managed to act somewhat confidently when she was doing her internship so she needed to find whatever source she had pulled that from and use it again.

Shinsou saw the worry in her eyes and frowned. "I'm sorry."

"…it's…alright…I understand…you're trying to become stronger…" Shirayuki adjusted her mask, pulling it higher over her nose and mouth. _I need to be stronger, too. Tomorrow. I'll walk home alone and everything will be fine. I'm sure that it will._

The boy helped her carry her grocery bags back to the house and even offered to help put everything away, but the girl refused. She felt bad enough for making him accompany her to go shopping. She was sure he was probably bored the entire time.

Shirayuki was pouring three cups of tea when she heard something that made her blood run cold. She nearly dropped the kettle in her haste to put it down and then sprinted through the hall to her grandmother's door. "Grandma, are you-?"

"Listen here! No, you listen to me! You have no right to decide what's best for her! Do you understand?! I won't let you bully that poor girl and try to force her to do something she doesn't want to do! Ume is making her own way in life!"

When she heard her grandmother shout, she had worried the woman might have been injured. Instead, she was sitting on her bed with the phone in her hand. In a heated argument with who Ume could only assume was her mother Hikari. "…Grandma…?" she called quietly.

"No. She isn't going anywhere with you! Listen to me! If you come here, I will call the police!"

Shirayuki was about to call to her grandmother again, but felt a gentle hand on her shoulder. Turning to look, she found Shinsou nodding toward the kitchen. His hand went to hers to guide her, a deep frown settling onto his face. "…I'm sorry…my mother…I don't know what she said, but…"

"You don't have to apologize," he assured her. "Is your grandmother going to be alright?"

"…she's…strong…a lot stronger than me so…"

He regarded his cup of tea and nodded. "Your grandmother is amazing."

Her grandmother soon emerged from her room and frowned. "Ume, if that woman tries to contact you, I want you to tell me right away."


	54. Chapter 54

"Are you going to be okay walking home?"

Shirayuki was pulled from her thoughts by Shinsou's question and lifted her head. "…I should…be alright…I'm going straight home after school so…um…I'll…I can send you a message…when I'm home…"

He looked a little surprised at first and then sheepish. Rubbing the back of his neck, Shinsou turned his head to the side. "Thanks. I'd appreciate it."

_Why…does it feel like we're still together?_ Behind her mask, she frowned as she dropped her gaze to the ground again. It felt natural, but she had to wonder if this was alright. He had broken up with her. They were supposed to be focusing on school and training to become heroes.

Her internship had forced her to become a little braver so she tried to summon forth some courage now to ask him. "…we're…j-just friends…?"

His eyebrows raised and he nodded. "Yeah."

She nodded to herself and her frown deepened. _I…like spending time with him, but…if that's what he wants…I have to respect it. I need to focus and I don't want to distract him, too._ Shirayuki winced as her arm was bumped by someone and she was pushed against Shinsou's side.

The boy steadied her with a hand on her shoulder and glared at the person who bumped into her, but redirected his attention when he felt her shaking. "Shirayuki?"

"…I'm sorry…I…didn't eat…"

"What? Here. Just a second." Shinsou rummaged in his bag and frowned when his hand came back empty. "I know I packed something. It must've fallen out."

"…it's okay…I just…I need to get to school and…sit down…" she assured him, attempting a smile behind her mask. It was unusual for her to skip a meal since she was prone to low blood sugar fits, but she had no appetite that morning.

To make matters worse, Shirayuki had slept fitfully. She had nightmares and she was worried about her mother waiting for her at the school to confront her. She just hoped that they would not have active training where she would need to use her quirk.

Shinsou offered to get her something from the convenience store near the station, but she politely declined. He was definitely bothered by the refusal, but decided not to push her. Instead, he slowed his walking pace and kept a careful watch over her for the rest of their walk to the school.

Before they parted ways, the boy gently grabbed her arm and looked down into the girl's crimson eyes. "If something happens, call me. Okay? And let me know when you get home."

"…I…I will…" she promised, nodding.

Walking to her classroom alone, Shirayuki kept her head down and wondered what he was doing after school. He had mentioned that he was busy, but he never hinted at what his plans were. _Is it…tutoring? Or does he have a part-time job? Are we…allowed to have those?_

"Shirayuki-san! Come here; I have something to show you." Yaoyorozu smiled when Shirayuki walked over to her desk and displayed her phone screen. "I took these pictures recently and I thought you might want to see them. It's Earl Grey."

_Earl…Grey?_ Remembering that Yaoyorozu had adopted a kitten from her, Shirayuki's eyes widened and she looked down at the screen. Her classmate showed her a bunch of pictures of the kitten playing with a wide variety of cat toys, sleeping in a big cozy-looking bed, eating from an expensive-looking food dish, and getting his fur brushed and styled to maximum fluffiness.

"…he…looks really happy…Yaoyorozu-san, you're…a good pet owner…"

The other girl blinked in surprise and smiled. "Thank you, Shirayuki-san."

"Oh! That's right! I have some pictures, too! There aren't a lot, but…" Midoriya entered the conversation, showing a few pictures of the kitten he had taken. It was mostly pictures of the kitten curled up on his pillow or perching beside an All Might action figure on his desk.

She was marveling over a particularly cute, but funny, picture of the kitten chewing on an All Might plushie when she felt an intense stare directed at her. Shirayuki felt herself subconsciously tense as she tried to ignore it. She tried to focus on talking to Yaoyorozu and Midoriya about their cats. It made her feel a little bit more relaxed.

"What's going on with your hair, Bakugou?! That's hilarious!"

"Shut the hell up!"

The girl jumped, nearly dropping Midoriya's phone and apologizing profusely. Hair…? She looked over her shoulder at Bakugou, who was glaring at the grinning Kaminari. His hair looked the same way it always did, but something had Kaminari laughing so she suspected it might have been neatly combed and flat when he entered the room.

A glance at the time showed that class would be starting soon so she bowed to the two other students and excused herself to go to her desk. Before she could fully turn, Shirayuki heard a quiet call of her name. She looked toward the back of the classroom again and saw Todoroki rising from his desk. "…Todoroki-kun…?"

"I want to see my cat today. Can I come over after school? I won't stay for very long. I just want to see her again."

"…ah…y-yes…if you want to…you can walk with me…" she agreed. She gave him a short nod and turned again to try to get to her seat.

Sitting at her desk, Shirayuki slouched a little and dug through her bag for her textbook for the first class. She was thinking about her afterschool plans now and was jolted back to the present by a sharp kick to one of the back legs of her chair. The girl bowed her head and closed her eyes for a moment. She wanted to be able to face Bakugou bravely, but the thought of raising her voice put her stomach in knots.

"Don't ignore me, Ume," he growled.

"…d-do you…need something…?"

"What did those nerds want? I saw you talking to Deku and that half and half extra. What did they want?"

"…we…were talking about kittens…a-and Midoriya-kun was showing me…pictures of his kitten…" She looked over her shoulder just enough to see his expression, expecting him to look angry. Instead, he just looked a little frustrated.

Classes went by quickly and uneventfully, but Shirayuki's appetite was back full force. Having skipped breakfast and gone without snacks, she was very shaky and her stomach was growling loudly. She tried to focus on getting to the lunch room and just getting as much food as she would need to stabilize herself, but her thoughts were fuzzy.

A hand gripped hers, pulling her along out of the classroom and ignoring the protests of Bakugou. "You okay, Yuki? You're shaking a lot. Is it your blood sugar?" Kirishima gave her a concerned frown once they were out in the hallway.

"…I skipped…breakfast today…" she murmured, sweating.

"You don't look so good. Oh! Here we go!" Kaminari drew a piece of hard candy from his pocket and held it out with a triumphant grin. "You can have this, Yuki-chan. It's not much, but it should help, right?"

"…th-thank you…" Shirayuki managed to unwrap it and savored the sweet strawberry flavor of the candy. _Kaminari…I'll have to make him some cookies._

Kirishima's frown grew and he sighed. "Sorry, Yuki. I should probably carry some candy, too, huh?"

"That's a cool idea. We can all have spare candies." Ashido beamed as she came up on Shirayuki's other side. "Let's get some lunch. I'm starving!"

The group walked together to the cafeteria, being joined by Sero once they were there. Shirayuki felt her trembling grow worse when she saw the long line for food. The combination of low blood sugar and anxiety from the crowd was wearing down on her and she started fidgeting with her hairband.

"What the hell are you doing? Go sit down!"

She jolted and glanced toward the figure that had come up beside her. "…B-Bakugou…? I-I…need to get lunch…"

"Go get a table. I'll bring you something." He saw her looking at him curiously from behind her long, dark violet hair and he scowled. "Go sit down before you faint, Ume! I don't want to have to drag you to Recovery Girl's room!"

"…o-okay…thank…thank you…" The girl located a good table and seated herself, still toying with the hairband on her wrist. She was nervous about being back in school after her internship with Fat Gum, but she was a little relieved, too. She was glad to see her friends again and have a simple school day.

Shirayuki felt eyes on her and tensed a little in her seat. Not the intense stare of Bakugou, but someone watching her. She was about to glance up to timidly see if someone was actively looking her way, but was interrupted. A tray packed full of food was put in front of her and Shirayuki's eyes widened.

Curry with rice. Cutlets with rice. Noodles. Miso soup. Roasted fish and rice. Large portions and all crammed onto one tray. A pair of chopsticks was settled in front of her as well before Bakugou sat beside her. The sight of the food made her stomach growl even louder and she leaned in close to the tray. "…th-thank you…this…looks delicious…it's all my favorites…"

"Of course it is. Why are you surprised? I know what you like, Ume." He grumbled these words as he split his disposable chopsticks and picked up his single plate of food from the tray. "Start eating! And if you fall face-down on that plate-!" The boy paused as he saw the girl's crimson eyes grow teary. "What the hell are you crying about?"

"…sorry, I just…I…I was really hungry…" She lowered her mask and began eating, eager to satisfy her appetite. The girl was eating using her right hand, leaving her left one settled on her lap. _This tastes even better than usual. Is it because I'm so hungry? I'll…have to repay him tomorrow. How much did this cost?_

When the others came to sit with them, a hand dropped down to grab her free hand and the ash-blond boy started eating using his left hand. It was an obvious struggle, but he never acknowledged the weird looks the others gave him. On Shirayuki's other side, Kirishima cast a curious glance in the other boy's direction before he set a little juice box in front of Shirayuki.

"This should be plenty of calories, right, Yuki?"

"…yes, this…is more than enough…thank you, everyone…"

"It's not good to skip meals, you know. So are you busy after school? There's this snack place that opened in the neighborhood. We should all stop there on the way home." Kirishima's sharp-toothed grin was directed at Shirayuki, hope shining clearly in his eyes.


	55. Chapter 55

NeonHorizon: A quick shout out to everyone that leaves reviews! Those really make my day! This chapter has a lot of Kirishima in it. Enjoy!

* * *

_I…wish we could have gone together. To the place Kirishima mentioned._ Shirayuki frowned behind her mask as she stepped out into the hallway after their last class. It seemed like everyone had plans. Even Bakugou. Kirishima had tried to keep a cheerful expression, but it was clear he was disappointed.

Walking by herself, she absently fidgeted with her hairband. Her head was down as she tried to think of some way she could cheer him up. Kirishima was great at cheering her up when she felt down and seeing him look so disappointed made her chest feel tight.

"Shirayuki."

"…ah…?" She looked back to find Todoroki emerging from the classroom. The girl bowed her head again, guilt sparking. _I forgot. That was…rude of me. I forgot that he was coming over today._ Bowing a little, she hoped he would accept her apology.

"I need to get something before we go. Do you want to go with me?"

"…get something…?" Shirayuki's crimson eyes widened and she shook her head. "…T-Todoroki-kun, you…don't need to bring anything…I…"

"It's polite to bring a gift," he stated firmly. "I need to thank you and your grandmother for taking care of Torako."

"…if…if you insist…" She saw him nod. Walking alongside him now, she kept her head down. "…um…where…are you going to go…?"

"A cake shop. Your grandmother said that she likes sweets." Todoroki looked over expectantly, waiting for her confirming nod. "This way you can help me pick one she'll like."

They continued onward; leaving the school together and walking down the street. A good amount of space between them. Neither of them talking for quite a while as they both seemed perfectly content with their own thoughts as company. It was only when they neared the train station that the silence was broken.

"Your mother keeps calling my house to speak to my father."

Shirayuki bowed lower than before. "…I-I'm sorry…I don't…I don't know why she's like this…I'm sorry…if she's causing trouble for you…"

He turned toward her, about to say more, but stopped as he saw an arm drop around her shoulders. "Kirishima?"

"Hey, I saw you two walking and I thought I'd tag along. You're going to Yuki's house, right? Do you mind if I come with?" The red-haired boy grinned, but there was still a certain amount of disappointment in his eyes as he said this.

"…ah…o-of course…um…if…Todoroki-kun…do you…mind if Kirishima…?"

"I won't stop you," the other boy replied. He gave Kirishima a neutral stare for a moment before turning to continue walking. "It makes sense for you to come with us."

_What…does that mean? Because we're friends?_ Shirayuki felt the arm around her shoulders squeeze a bit in an awkward sort of side hug and warmth rose to her face. Bowing her head, her long dark violet hair fell around her face to hide the pinkish hue of her cheeks. Her chest felt tight, as it had before, but now the girl's heart was pounding.

It was difficult to keep her breathing normal. She was suddenly very self-conscious about every breath and every little movement. Keeping her eyes on the ground as she walked, she felt relieved that Kirishima still had his arm around her shoulders. _He…feels so warm…this is nice. I really like this._

"You adopted the last kitten, right?" Kirishima asked as they boarded the train. "That's so cool! I wish I could've taken one, but my place doesn't allow pets."

"I have to keep Torako at Shirayuki's house," Todoroki explained.

The three students managed to find a row of three seats together. Todoroki took the one on the left, Kirishima sat in the middle, and Shirayuki was on the right. The red-haired boy moved his arm from around her shoulders, but casually took her left hand in his right hand as he continued talking.

"You named it Torako? Oh! The girl one with stripes, right?" He saw Todoroki nod and his grin grew. "Yeah, that one's really cool! I like the markings on her!"

Todoroki leaned forward in his seat to peer around Kirishima at Shirayuki. "I want to show her to my mother, but I would need help. Are you busy on Sunday?"

"…Sunday…um…I-I don't…know yet…" she confessed.

He shifted his gaze to Kirishima and tilted his head slightly. "You don't have plans on Sunday, do you?"

"What? Me? No. I'm free on Sunday." Kirishima gave Shirayuki's hand a light squeeze, his grin turning into a puzzled frown.

His heterochromatic eyes went back to Shirayuki now. "Can you meet me at the station near your house around nine o'clock on Sunday? And bring Torako in a bag or a carrier."

"Hang on a second. Me or Yuki? You just asked if _I_ was free."

Todoroki gave the two a deadpan sort of stare. "I thought that if you're free, Shirayuki is, too. You're together so-"

The girl saw Kirishima's face turn an almost glowing shade of red and it momentarily distracted her from the heat rising to her own face. Her heart began thumping loudly in her chest, her pulse so loud in her ears that it drowned out the boy's protests. Shirayuki's eyes lowered to where he was still holding her hand and soon found his fingers lacing with hers. His thumb rubbing gently at the back of her hand as he turned to look at her and seemed to sense her unease.

Kirishima leaned forward a little, trying to look up at her through the dark violet hair hanging over her face. "Hey, Yuki? You okay?"

"…I…I'm okay…" she mumbled from behind her mask.

"Look, I told him we're not dating. I mean…not that I don't like you. Er…ugh! Okay, I really like you, but you know I'm not going to pressure you into anything. That sounded wrong. Why can't I say this right?!"

Todoroki looked almost vaguely amused as the red-haired boy became a flustered mess. Shirayuki's hand was released and Kirishima ran both hands through his hair as he tried to calm himself enough to speak again. _Is he…alright? Am __**I**__ alright? My heart…is beating so fast that it hurts. Why? He…looks cute…like this. Do I…like…Kirishima?_

He took a deep breath and released it in a sigh. "Okay! I've got it now! Yuki!" Kirishima turned to look at her and gently grabbed her shoulders. "I really, really like you! Do you want to be best friends?!"

Her rapid pulse seemed to skip as she stared back at her blushing friend. It felt like all of the blood in her body was collecting in her face at this moment and she froze in place. Crimson eyes wide, staring at Kirishima's hopeful expression. "…best…friends…?"

"I'm glad I can be a part of this."

The other two looked over at Todoroki briefly. He was sitting there, awkwardly, just watching this moment unfold with a neutral expression on his face. Shirayuki looked back to Kirishima and bit the inside of her cheek, hidden behind her mask. She gave a small nod and it felt like butterflies exploded in her chest when he hugged her.

"Awesome! You're not gonna regret this, Yuki! I promise! I'll be the greatest best friend you've ever had!"

"…I've never…had a best friend before…" she quiet confessed.

It was true. Throughout elementary school and middle school, Shirayuki had no friends. She kept to herself and tried to avoid being bullied for how wide her mouth was. The first friend she made was Shinsou and then Kirishima and the others. Of course, she had seen people who claimed to be best friends and she had envied how happy they looked together.

Todoroki gave a single nod of understanding. They were both kind of withdrawn and quiet. It would be unsurprising if he was like her in that he had never had friends before high school.

**Shift P.O.V**

Kirishima leaned back after hearing Shirayuki's words, his eyes wide for a second. "I'll be an extra awesome best friend then!" He tried to give her a reassuring smile and saw her eyes crinkle at the corners to indicate she was smiling behind her mask.

He was excited by this development in their friendship, but at the same time he was disappointed in himself. As the train pulled into Shirayuki's stop, he kept a gentle hold on her hand and felt his own heart racing. What he had wanted to ask was if she would go out with him.

Of course, he was still trying to respect her space. She and her boyfriend had only broken up a little while ago. It felt scummy to even imagine trying to pick her up right after that. She needed time for herself.

Besides, just holding hands and talking to her about life was enough to make him feel happy. "I still can't believe a truck tried to speed through that shopping district during your internship! That's crazy!" he spoke up, remembering the event she had described during their meetup the previous day.

"A speeding truck?" Todoroki entered the conversation again.

"Yeah! Yuki used her quirk to stop a truck that was speeding into a shopping area! I bet you looked really cool, Yuki!" He grinned and saw her blush before shyly looking away. His pulse skipped a beat, a pleasant warmth settling over him.

_She's so cute! Ugh! Why couldn't I just say what I wanted to say?! It's been almost three weeks! That's enough time, right? But what if it isn't? What if she thinks I'm a creep for bringing up something like that?! This is so unmanly!_

"…I…um…I couldn't…keep myself stable, though…and my senpai had to anchor me…" she softly protested.

"Your senpai? There was an upperclassman working with you?" Todoroki looked at the girl with mild curiosity.

"…yes…ah…he…was actually the reason why I was…offered the internship…because he set up a meeting with Fat Gum…and…Fat Gum knew my father…they were…friends…a-anyway…my senpai had to hold onto me…so my legs wouldn't break from the pressure or…so I wouldn't be blown away by my blast…"

It painted an odd, but kind of funny, image in Kirishima's head. He was picturing her flapping in the air like a flag while her faceless upperclassman held her arm. "Still sounds pretty cool!" he argued. "I didn't even get to do much at my internship. Tetsutetsu and I just kinda ran errands for Fourth Kind."

_The upperclassman was a guy? Oh, right! That guy I saw at her house on Saturday! I didn't get a good look at his face, but he had those pointy ears. He seems like a good guy, though, if he did so much for Yuki. I wish I could do more to help her out._

Kirishima shook his head and sighed. _That isn't right! I shouldn't compare myself to some guy I don't even know! We're best friends now and that's what matters! I'm gonna do whatever I can to help Yuki! And a good start would be carrying around her favorite candy in case she has a low blood sugar fit!_

"Hey, Yuki," he started, turning to his right. She was gone. He looked down to his hand and realized that, in his moment of frustration, he had released her hand and put his hands in his pockets. "Yuki?! Yuki!"

"We're over here," Todoroki stated bluntly from the left.

The red-haired boy hurried over to where Shirayuki was staring in at a cake shop's display through a window. Seeing the girl's crimson eyes wide, glimmering with amazement, he had to smile. "You want to go in? I have enough for-"

"I'm getting cake slices as a gift for her and her grandmother." The other boy said this without any trace of spite and nodded toward the door. "Shirayuki, we should hurry before it becomes crowded."

"…ah…r-right…" She followed him, but timidly paused to reach out a hand to Kirishima. "…um…I…don't need much…since I had a big meal earlier so…K-Kirishima…if you want to share a cake slice…"

He took her hand and felt himself faintly starting to blush. A grin slowly overtook his face as he regained his confidence. "That sounds perfect! What kind do you want? They've got a ton of chocolate ones! You like salted caramel, though, right? You think they have one with that?"

"This one." Todoroki pointed to a slice of strawberry shortcake while making intense eye contact with the young woman working behind the counter. When it was set in the cake box, he looked at the display again. "This one, too." A plain slice of white cake with vanilla bean frosting. He turned toward his two classmates and looked down to where they were holding hands before shifting his gaze to Shirayuki. "What kind do you want?"

"…I want…um…" She skimmed the display to her left, her eyes narrowing in concentration. "…does…this one look good to you…Kirishima…?"

He leaned down and stared at the slice she was pointing at. A slice of layered chocolate cake with salted caramel and crunchy pieces of cookie between the layers and chocolate frosting on top. _That's so Yuki to pick something this cool-looking! _Giving her hand a gentle squeeze, he nodded. "This looks perfect!"


	56. Chapter 56

"Yuki! Well this is a surprise! Tamaki, you didn't say anything about her dropping by today!" Fat Gum stood from behind his desk and greeted the two with a grin. "I know you can't technically patrol with us, but I'm sure there shouldn't be a problem with you tagging along for a walk."

"…th-thank you, sir…" She bowed, gripping her bag tightly and chewing at the inside of her cheek behind her mask. Shirayuki had wanted to visit for a number of reasons. It was her grandmother's suggestion that she spend some time with the hero since he had known her father. She felt it would be good for Shirayuki to look up to him like a mentor.

Her grandmother's other reason was that she wanted Shirayuki to be away from the house for a while. The girl's mother had started calling more often; trying to assert her authority as Shirayuki's parent. Her grandmother did her best to tell the woman off, but Hikari was relentless.

"Hey! You don't have to be formal. So are you up for walking with us?"

"…ah…y-yes, I want to walk…with you…" Shirayuki fumbled with her bag, digging in it for a moment. "…um…b-before we go out, though…I wanted to give you both something…"

The girl retrieved two bags from within her bag. One contained small, butterfly-shaped butter cookies. The other contained chocolate cake pops. She felt like her face was burning as she held out the gifts, closing her eyes to try to fight down her embarrassment. "F-Fat Gum, these…are for you." She handed him the cake pops and bowed. "A-And these…are for you, Tamaki."

The boy blinked in surprise and the faint pink hue on his face spread to his pointed ears. Rubbing the back of his neck, his eyes shifted away from her. He reached out with a hesitant, trembling hand and accepted the bag of cookies. "Th-thank you…"

"Thanks, Yuki! These look great, right, Tamaki?"

"Yeah…they're…perfect."

She had wanted to make something for them. Shirayuki felt a little guilty about going to the hero agency. She felt like she was being kind of pushy. _I…don't have my hero costume and…I'm not licensed yet. I can't do the same things I did as an intern. But…it shouldn't be a problem. Right? I can still…walk with them like this…in my school uniform._

The sky outside was overcast. A lot of clouds, the air smelling of rain. Despite the clouds, Amajiki still tugged at his hood to keep his face in shadow. He walked behind her and Fat Gum; his head bowed and mouth turned down into a frown.

"Oh! Hey, I remembered some Umetarou stories I haven't told you yet, Yuki! What do you want first? A patrol story or the hair incident?"

"…hair…incident…?" She tilted her head slightly, crimson eyes going wide. _Hair incident? Did my father...? What sort of story is this?_

His grin spread wider. "Suneater, come up here and listen, too! This story's pretty good!" Fat Gum waited for Amajiki to come up on his right side and casually put a hand on his shoulder to guide him around to the same side as Shirayuki. Now that he could face them both on his left side, he proceeded with the story.

"Umetarou got called in to help with a bunch of troublemakers in a shopping area. He was supposed to have the day off so he was in a pretty bad mood when he got there. I don't think I've ever seen him that ticked off before! He showed up with this serious, angry face and he was in full costume, but his hair was full of little clips. There were little smiley face ones and cat face ones and some bows and ribbons!

"Watching Umetarou fight a bunch of gang members with those clips and bows in his hair was the funniest thing I've ever seen! Afterwards, he told everyone off for ruining his day off with you and your mom. I guess you were doing his hair when he got the call!"

Shirayuki covered her mouth, her hand over the mask she was wearing. It did nothing to quiet her giggling. The idea of her father rushing to fight off bad guys with his hair full of little clips and ribbons. It was so funny that there were now tears forming at the corners of her eyes.

The next story he told was about patrolling with her father. Umetarou kept stopping and going into alleys or crouching down in weird places. When Fat Gum finally asked about it, Umetarou had revealed to him that he had been spotting kittens along their patrol route. He kept picking them up and putting them in the snack bag he had hanging from his belt.

"…my father…was collecting kittens…?" the girl asked, trying to imagine how that must have looked to passerby.

"He always had a soft spot for cats! I remember one time when he went out of his way to climb out onto this ledge really high up because a lady's cat had gotten out of her apartment window. Your dad almost fell, but he was determined to get that cat!"

"He…must have really loved cats," Amajiki shyly joined the conversation.

"Well here's the best part! I asked him if cats were his favorite animal since he was always going out of his way to help them. He told me they were actually his _wife's_ favorite! He knew how much she loved cats so he wanted to help as many as he could!"

Shirayuki stumbled, her eyes going wide. _Wait…what? My mother? She…liked cats? Is that…why my father loved cats so much? That's…that's so…_The girl bowed her head and tried to hide her eyes behind her hair. Tears were blurring her vision as she let this new information sink.

Since her father's death, she and her mom were never close. Her mother had verbally wounded her on so many occasions and even hurt her physically a few times. This being the case, Shirayuki actually knew few details about the woman's past likes and dislikes. To think that her father loved her mother so much that he took up rescuing cats, and the fact that he had done this for years before he even married Hikari, was incredibly sweet.

"Y-Yuki…are you okay?"

The girl felt a hand gently rest on her shoulder and she attempted to quickly wipe away her tears. "…I…I'm fine…I just…um…I-I didn't know…that my mother liked cats…" Shirayuki's face was turning bright red with embarrassment. "…we're…not close…we haven't been close since…m-my father…"

Fat Gum's smile fell and an arm wrapped around her to pull the girl into a sideways hug. "Hey, it's okay! Sometimes it's hard to deal with grief. People deal with it all kinds of ways and some people just don't know how to handle it. You wanna go back to the agency early?"

"…n-no…I want to…I need to keep walking…so I can learn from you both…thank you…" She was released from the hug and wiped at her eyes again. "…I'm sorry…heroes sh-shouldn't cry…"

"First off, whoever told you that is full of crap! Second, if crying helps then cry all you need to! It's stronger to show emotion than to hide it. Especially if you're off-duty and don't have to hide it. And third; these cake pops are amazing and you're gonna have to bring some more the next time you visit!"

She blinked away more tears and raised her gaze from the ground. To her astonishment, Fat Gum had opened his bag of cake pops without her noticing and was now enjoying one after another. "…I…I'm glad you like them…"

The rest of Fat Gum's stories were pretty funny. Little stories about Umetarou's appetite and one time when they went for food and Umetarou ended up with a huge bill that he had to work off by washing dishes. The area they were patrolling was very peaceful that day so there was plenty of time for them to just talk. At the end of the day, Fat Gum asked Amajiki to walk her home.

The girl kept her head bowed during most of their walk to the station. She was embarrassed about crying in front of him and Fat Gum. She was embarrassed about the cookies she had given him, too. They seemed like a good idea at the time, but now she worried they might have been too sweet.

Taking a seat beside him on the train, Shirayuki tried to take her mind off of the horrible embarrassment. _Next time…I'll make something else. Maybe…I could make a bento for him…since he needs food for his quirk._ She nodded to herself and started pondering what sort of things she could make for it.

"You have…exams coming up, don't you?"

"…ah…y-yes…we have exams and…the summer training camp…" Glancing over, she saw that Amajiki had his head down.

The boy's dark indigo eyes were narrowed, his whole body tense. "You're…probably going to do really well. But if you need any help w-with studying or…with your quirk…I can try to help."

She felt her pulse quicken a little after hearing this offer and her blush intensified. Behind her mask, Shirayuki could not help but smile a little. "…th-thank you…um…if there's anything I could d-do for you…"

"Th-thank you." Beside her, Amajiki was now fidgeting with his phone. There was a warm hue spreading across his face and to the tips of his ears. A small, almost relieved, smile took form and he lowered his head a little more. "During summer…first years usually have some free time. Um…d-do you have plans already?"

"…ah…n-no…not yet…" she confessed.

"Right. Uh. Maybe…maybe we could…hang out? Mirio and Nejire would probably like to get together."

"…I…I'd like that…" she agreed, smiling more.

The station was extremely crowded when they got off the train and she did her best to stay close, but soon found herself being separated from Amajiki. Someone bumped into her roughly from the right, making her stumble and nearly lose her balance.

"Hey! Watch where you're going! What if I spilled my coffee?!" a gruff voice demanded. A college age young man glared down at her, gripping his can of chilled coffee so tightly that the metal started to bend inward. "Are you gonna apologize or what?! Don't just stand there staring like an idiot!"

A hand gripped Shirayuki's and Amajiki pushed himself between her and the stranger. The boy's narrow, intense stare made the bully take a step back. No words were needed. The older boy looked him up and down before deciding this fight was not worth it. Turning away, he left the two teenagers alone.

"Are…you okay?" Amajiki looked at the girl and saw that the color had drained from her face. "Yuki? He didn't hurt you, did he?"

"…n-no…I just…I was surprised…ah…th-thank you for saving me…"

"No. I didn't actually do much," he insisted. He turned his head to the side, the grip on her hand tightening a little. Not so much that it hurt; just tight enough to make sure they stayed together as he began navigating his way through the crowded station to get out to the street.

The warmth of his palm against hers made her feel oddly safe. She decided to put all of her trust in him and walked with her head down. _Why couldn't I just stand up for myself? I can…stand up to Bakugou-kun…sort of. And he's scarier than that man was. Why couldn't I say something to defend myself? It…isn't right to make someone else defend me. Especially if I want to be a hero._

They had been walking in silence with Amajiki still holding her hand. It was as they reached the corner to Shirayuki's street that he finally spoke up again. "Yuki…does your grandma have a car?"

Her eyes lifted and focused on a shiny black car parked in front of her house. The girl's grip tightened on his hand subconsciously and it felt like her heart was dropping into her stomach. "…th-that's…my mother's car…um…I-I don't know…if I can do this right now…I don't know what to do…"

The driver side door opened and Hikari stepped out onto the sidewalk. She was dressed in a stylish outfit. Her pale blonde hair was pulled back in a tight and sleek ponytail. Perfectly applied purple lipstick and eye makeup. She appeared confident and cold as she started up the sidewalk to the house; not yet aware that her daughter was just down the street.

It was seconds later that the door to the house opened. The person who stepped outside was not her grandmother. This was a woman younger than Hikari, but older than Shirayuki. She had long, snow-pale hair and rather pale eyes. She was wearing a paint-stained sky blue t-shirt and gray pants. Thick, painful-looking scars marked her exposed arms and she had a fierce look in her eyes.

The strange woman approached the gate and gripped the bars to prevent Hikari from trying to enter. The teenagers were just close enough to hear the two women speak. Hikari was first, speaking with venom as she crossed her arms. "Oh _look_. If it isn't the old woman's trashy niece. Don't tell me that she recruited a failed hero like _you_ to try to stand between a mother and her daughter. Honestly-"

"You don't know…do you? To fail at something, you have to _try_ at it first." The stranger smiled sadly and shook her head. "You know…Auntie Sumire is more of a mother to her than you are. You have no idea…how much it hurts…to have a parent abandon you."

Amajiki turned quickly and started walking down the sidewalk with Shirayuki, taking her further away from her house. He was unsure of what was happening, but had a gut feeling that it would be better to keep her away from it. "Do you…um…do you want to…g-get dinner or something? I know a place and…Mirio can probably meet us there. He's better at these kinds of situations."


	57. Chapter 57

"You've got a pretty big appetite today, Yuki! Did you get to help Tamaki this afternoon? He said you were going to visit Fat Gum after school." Togata gave her a smile when she lifted her gaze from her food and saw the girl's face gradually turn a vibrant shade of pink.

"…um…n-no, I…couldn't help since I don't have my license yet…I just…I-I eat a lot…when I get worried…" she confessed. Shirayuki slouched in her seat, the pace of her eating slowing down as she became self-conscious. She was already on her fourth serving of curry with rice and she had barely even noticed how much food she was going through.

Beside her, Amajiki frowned and slouched as well. "I-it's okay, though," he tried to reassure her.

"Do you want to talk about what happened? Tamaki, you sounded kind of panicky when you called me."

"It's…not really my place to say."

The girl set down her spoon with a trembling hand and bowed her head so her dark violet hair was hiding her expression. "…m-my mother…she was waiting at my house and…I-I'm not really…on good terms with her…Togata-sempai, I…live with my grandmother…and…my mother has been t-trying to…set me up with someone…like a quirk marriage…"

"Huh? I didn't think people still did stuff like that! That's pretty outdated!" Togata leaned forward a little so he could hear her better in the crowded restaurant. His smile had faded to a concerned frown and the boy glanced over at Amajiki. "So you guys just left?"

"S-someone else was there, talking to her mother…um…I don't know who that was, though." Amajiki lowered his head, staring down at his empty plate.

"Why don't we walk with you back home, Yuki? You still have to go home; you don't want your grandma to worry about you. But if Tamaki and I are with you, we can be like your bodyguards. Will that make you feel a little better?"

She nodded, but still kept her head bowed a little. After finishing her fourth serving of curry with rice, she began the walk home with her friends. Guilt settled in her stomach like a rock. She knew they both lived in the dorms at school so they were going out of their way to try to make her feel safer. _I'll…have to make them something_, she decided. _And Nejire-san, too. I'll make cookies or…something else that's good._

"So what did you do this afternoon? You went to visit Fat Gum, but you couldn't really patrol, right?" Togata was walking beside Shirayuki with Amajiki trudging behind them.

"…I…um…w-well I walked with them…when they went to patrol…"

"Really?" He glanced over his shoulder and frowned slightly. Togata slowed his steps and nudged Amajiki between himself and Shirayuki. "So did you guys talk about anything?"

"F-Fat Gum told us stories about Calorie Bomb," Amajiki contributed. His face was rapidly turning pink and he shoved his hands into his pockets, his head down to try to hide his expression. "And...Y-Yuki has her summer break coming up, after her exam."

"So did you guys make plans?"

"Wh-what?! No…uh…Mirio, we didn't exactly-"

"I think it would be fun to go to the beach! Do you like the ocean, Yuki?"

The closer they got to her house, the more anxious she felt. Shirayuki only felt relief when she saw that her mother's car was gone. A sigh of relief escaped her, muffled by her mask. _At least Hikari-san isn't there. But…I'm still worried. What if she comes back? What if she comes up to me outside of the school like after the sports festival?_

The three students stopped in front of the door to her house and Shirayuki was about to thank them for walking her home when the door opened. The pale-haired woman from earlier was standing there and she smiled kindly when she saw the teenagers. Now that she was closer, she did look sort of familiar to Shirayuki.

There was something different about her now, though. The woman's left eye had been blackened, her left cheek looked a little puffy, and there were fingernail scratches along her right arm. Nonetheless, she still wore that smile. "Hey, Ume! Welcome home."

"Hi! You must be Yuki's big sister, right?" Togata greeted the woman with no hesitation and approached her.

"Second cousin," the woman corrected him. She ran her fingers along a strand of long pale hair and gave a small nod of greeting to him and Amajiki. "Naosu Sayuri. It's great to meet you both. I was hoping I'd get to meet some of Ume's friends."

"…ah…S-Sayuri-chan…?" Shirayuki vaguely remembered having an older cousin. The last time she had seen her was before her father had died so it had been years. She had been a little kid back then. "…is Grandma…?"

"Auntie Sumire's fine! Sorry; this probably looks bad. I'm just…staying the night to fend off Hikari, pretty much." She gestured at her facial bruises and gave Shirayuki a sheepish half-grin. "If you've ever wondered what it looks like when someone with a defensive quirk fights someone with a healing quirk…well, this is it. That was the lamest slap fight anyone's probably ever seen."

Shirayuki took a moment to thank Amajiki and Togata for walking her home before she followed her cousin inside. Her grandmother greeted her with a hug. She seemed worried, but looked like she was alright at least. It was worrying after seeing what her mother did to her cousin. Although she had to wonder what kind of state her mother was in after the fight.

Years had passed since Shirayuki had last seen her cousin Sayuri so she was curious about how her life had turned out. Sayuri had a powerful healing quirk that allowed her to take other people's injuries herself or give them to a different person. From the multitude of scars on her arms and the deep scar on her collarbone, it was obvious she used her quirk pretty often.

Apparently she had become a kindergarten teacher. She was currently living with her boyfriend, who she even took the time to call before she went to sleep, and she seemed to be pretty happy with her life. When she asked Shirayuki if she was dating anyone, the teenager went red and slouched a little.

"You know…boys come and go," Sayuri explained. "But friendships can last a long time. Fuyumi and I have been best friends for years. We're always there for each other and…there are just some things you can tell your friends that you can't tell anyone else. Friendship is important. It gives you support and stability. I'm not saying you shouldn't date, but there's nothing wrong with just being friends."

These words stuck with Shirayuki and she was thinking about this while she was walking to school with Shinsou the next morning. They were both silent; lost in thought about the upcoming classes. She fidgeted with the hairband on her wrist and slowly looked over at the indigo-haired boy. "…Shinsou…?"

"Yeah?" He turned his head to look at her and met the girl's crimson gaze directly for just a second before she looked away. Seeing the warm pinkish tint taking over her face, a faint smile made his lips draw up at the corners.

"…we're…we're still friends…aren't we…?"

"Yeah." Shinsou seemed to come to a conclusion about why she was asking and his smile fell to a slight grimace. "After we graduate, maybe-"

"No, I…I mean…I just…um…w-wanted to make sure we're still friends…because you're…you're the first friend I've ever had…and I don't…I don't want to lose you…if we start to drift apart during high school…" She felt a warm hand settle on her shoulder and glanced up at him.

Shinsou leaned down a little so his face was a few inches above her, his eyes showing concern. "That won't happen. We'll always be friends," he assured her.

Smiling behind her mask, she gave a nod of agreement. "…I-I'm glad…"

They began walking again and now that the silence between them had been broken, Shinsou had to ask a question that seemed to have been bothering him. "Who was that woman that came out of your house before you? She had scars on her arms…"

"…my cousin…um…Sayuri-chan…she was staying overnight…in case my mother came to the house again…sh-she got in a fight with her yesterday…"

"A fight? Like an actual _fight_?" He saw her nod and he rubbed the back of his neck. "Are you okay with that?"

Shirayuki's steps slowed a little as she considered this question. _Am I okay with it? Hikari-san…really isn't much of a mother. She was out of my life for so long and then…came back to try to force me into a quirk marriage. Sayuri-chan seemed so angry about it…like she knows what this feels like._

Tightening her hold on her bag, she gave a small nod. "Sayuri-chan…did what she thought was best…and…she stood up to Hikari-san," she replied, forcing herself to be more confident. "And…I need to be as strong as Sayuri-chan…and stand up for myself and my grandma the next time Hikari-san bothers us."

Her confidence remained intact until she got to school. Shirayuki walked to her classroom with her head bowed, fidgeting with her hairband again. It felt good to feel confident. She was sure this was how a hero should feel. Now that her confidence was dwindling, she felt self-conscious and unsure of herself. She kept her head down to avoid eye contact with the other students and bit the inside of her cheek behind her mask.

_I need to be stronger than this. I feel…like I'm shrinking in on myself. Why can't I stay confident around other people? How can I…ever be a hero…if I get like this around crowds?_ Tears of frustration started to form at the corners of her eyes, threatening to run down her face and soak into her mask.

"Oh, sweet! Is that a new mask? That looks pretty cute, Yuki-chan!" The call came from up ahead, down the hallway. Quick footsteps approached her and when she looked up from the floor, she was met with Kaminari's smiling face. "Want to walk to class together?"

"…okay…" She tilted her head slightly, a little confused. He usually showed up for class after her. "…you're…early today…"

"Yeah. I woke up super early and couldn't get back to sleep. I bet I've got bags under my eyes today," he remarked. "What about you? Do you like sleeping in or getting up early? You seem like an early bird, Yuki-chan."

"…actually…it's…it's kind of silly, but…I do wish I could sleep in more often…"

"Same here! That's what I love about days off; I could sleep in until noon if I didn't have stuff to do and stay up as late as I want. All the best shows are on pretty late anyway and it's kind of a pain to have to record them for later, right?"

"…ah…I just like it because…everything is calmer at night…it's quieter…"

"What?!" He raised an eyebrow, pondering this for a moment before he grinned. "Well, you've got a point. If you don't go out and do stuff, it's quieter. So you've probably never stayed out late doing karaoke, have you?" Seeing her shake her head, his grin grew. "We need to go at least once, Yuki-chan. You'll see. It's a lot of fun!"

They talked about karaoke for a while; mostly just Kaminari telling her how enjoyable it could be and trying to persuade her to go with him and the others. When they got to the classroom, he split away from her to talk to Sero and Shirayuki went to her desk. She got her textbook out for their first class and then rummaged in her bag for a book to read until class started.

_Karaoke...with friends._ Again, she thought of what her cousin had told her about how important friendships were. _Friends…do things for each other. Whenever I'm feeling sad, my friends do things to try to cheer me up. I need to make more of an effort to try new things so I can do them with my friends._

"Hey, Ume! Quit spacing off! I'm talking to you!" A sharp kick to one of the back legs of her chair jolted the girl out of her thoughts. Bakugou leaned forward, gripping a strand of her dark violet hair and giving it a small tug to draw her attention to him. "What're you doing after school?"

"…ah…I'm…just going home…why do you…?" She half-turned to look at him, cautious not to cause any of her hair to be pulled out.

"I've gotta run some errands for that old hag. If you're not doing anything, you should go with me. I need stuff for Slasher anyway and you know about cats."

Now that she knew his cat was involved, she gave a small nod. "…ah…okay…b-but I need to…go home first…"

"Fine. I'll come get you when I'm ready." He was still holding the strand of her hair, staring back at her with narrowed crimson eyes for a long moment. Finally, the corner of his mouth twitched up into a smirk. "It's a _date_, got it?"

"…w-wait…what…?" Her hair was released and Shirayuki stared for a moment longer, trying to process what he just said. _A date…? A date? No. We're not…dating, though. But no matter how many times I tell him that, he keeps insisting we are._

"Yuki! Morning!" Kirishima approached the side of her desk and flashed a grin at her as well as the boy behind her. "Morning, Bakugou."

"…good morning, Kirishima…" She lifted her head and smiled behind her mask, unable to keep frowning after seeing his cheerful expression. Though her smile was hidden, her eyes crinkled at the corners to show she was smiling.

"Quit being so friendly with my girl, shitty hair," their classmate grumbled.

"That might be kind of hard since we're best friends."


	58. Chapter 58

Shirayuki had forgotten how frightening it was to go home alone. She and Shinsou had been going to and from school together for quite a while so it was unsettling to be by herself. The walk to the station was spent with her head down, trying not to look up. It was difficult to put into words, but she felt vulnerable without Shinsou walking next to her. As if every person walking past her was staring, as if something might happen at any moment.

Shaking her head, she pulled her phone out of her bag and typed out a message to Ashido. _I just…need a distraction…right? If I don't think about it…but a hero needs to be able to face things. Why can't I just be strong enough to lift my head?_

Her eyes began to burn, her throat hurting and tightening. Shirayuki lifted a hand to try to stop the tears before they could fall. _How can I be a hero…if I can't even handle being alone…?_ She heard her phone jingle with a response from Ashido and she looked at the screen.

The pink-haired girl was saying how excited she was for the summer training camp and how anxious she was about the upcoming tests. Blinking away more tears, Shirayuki was glad for this distraction. She confessed that she was a little nervous about the tests, too. Even more so about the summer camp.

Shirayuki had never slept over at a friend's house when she was younger since she never really had friends before. The summer training camp would be the first time she was away from home overnight. She felt embarrassment heating her face as she admitted this to Ashido. Seconds later, her phone rang with an actual call from her friend.

"Yuki, we should have a study sleepover! I'm not super confident about the exam and you're nervous about being away from home, right? This is _perfect_! This way we can help each other out! What do you think?"

"…a…sleepover…?" She fidgeted with her bag and turned the corner toward the station. "…um…I-I guess…ah…that sounds fun…I just…I've never…"

"No pressure, okay? Want to do it Saturday night? All you need to worry about is bringing your textbooks, notes, and some comfy pajamas. I'll get snacks and pick up some movies to watch after we study. It'll be great!"

"…just…just us…?" Her stomach was twisting in anxious, excited knots. On one hand, the idea of doing something like this made her happy. Sleepovers were a normal thing that friends did and this would be her first. On the other hand, she wondered if Ashido planned to invite the rest of their group. It would be easier for Shirayuki to handle this if it was just one on one since large groups still made her kind of nervous.

For the whole train ride to her station, Shirayuki quietly spoke with Ashido. Talking, or even just listening, seemed to help her keep her mind off of the chaos around her. Though she did feel a little bad for taking up so much of her time. As she neared her house, she thanked Ashido for talking to her for so long.

"What're you apologizing for? We're friends, right? It's what friends do!"

Shirayuki's heart felt like it might burst and happy tears formed at the corners of her eyes. "…you don't know…how much that means to me…"

At home, she found a note on the counter from her grandmother. The old woman had gone to visit Shirayuki's cousin and bring her some food to thank her. The girl frowned as she lowered her mask. She set about filling all seven bowls for the cats and setting them up around the kitchen, greeting each cat like a sibling.

_Grandma…won't be gone for very long, will she? Where does Sayuri-chan live? _The idea of being home alone after dark filled her with anxiety. She knew that bad things were more likely to happen when someone was home alone; a break in, a house fire, or even a power outage.

Trying not to think about the worst possible scenarios, she changed out her uniform for a pair of long black shorts and a red t-shirt with a white heart on the chest. Shirayuki sat on the couch in the sitting room with a book, trying to get her mind off of all of the terrible things that could happen.

She had read a few pages before there was a knock on the front door. The sound made her jolt and she dropped her book onto the floor. Trembling, Shirayuki looked toward the front of the house. She sank to the floor and tried to keep out of sight of the windows. _Who…is it? Bakugou-kun…said he would pick me up, but…he doesn't knock on the door…he uses the bell…or the window…_

Her phone started to ring a little after the knock. "…h-hello…?" she greeted, without checking the screen first.

"Yuki! Hey, are you home? I'm at the door, but…" Kirishima sounded cheerful, but kind of embarrassed.

"…K-Kirishima…?" The girl pushed herself to stand and went to the front door. A look through the peephole showed her red-haired friend grinning on the other side. Opening the door revealed their ash blond classmate standing on the sidewalk, on the other side of the gate, glaring in and gripping the bars.

She pulled her mask up, securing it in place over her mouth and nose. "…um…I wasn't…expecting you, Kirishima…ah…"

"Well, I overheard you guys talking about going shopping and I wanted to tag along. I don't have anything going on tonight-"

"I told you not to act so friendly with Ume! You're pissing me off!" Bakugou gave the bars a shake and glared at the other two teenagers. "Are you gonna open this gate or not?!"

"…j-just a second…" Shirayuki put on some shoes and grabbed her bag. She locked the front door behind her, very aware of the boy's piercing glare. As she turned to go unlock the gate, the girl felt a warm hand gently grab her left hand. Behind her mask, she felt heat blooming in her cheeks. Her pulse felt like it skipped and she lowered her gaze to the ground.

"Just chill, okay? We're coming." Kirishima's eyebrows furrowed when he saw how angry Bakugou was getting. "You know, you could've just climbed the gate like I did."

"Shut up! What's the point of doing that much work when we're going somewhere else? And why the hell do you have to come with us?! This is supposed to be a date!"

"Huh? Oh! Don't worry about me! I'm just tagging along for fun! We're all friends, right?" The red-haired boy have Shirayuki's hand a small squeeze before he released it.

Setting off down the sidewalk, the girl held the strap of her bag with both hands and kept her eyes lowered. Walking next to her was Bakugou, who was still irritated with their third wheel. Behind them was Kirishima, who was still trying to have a good time. "…um…Bakugou-kun, what…do you need to get…?" she finally spoke up, hoping to redirect his focus.

The boy smirked and reached over, grabbing her hand tightly and lacing their fingers. "Slasher needs some new stuff. He outgrew the bed I got him last time and his hair's getting longer so I need a different brush. I wanna get him a new collar, too."

"Oh! You're shopping for Slasher? You have to get him something manly! Get him a blue collar!" Kirishima chimed in.

"No way, shitty hair! He's getting a black collar!"

"Isn't his hair black? It's going to blend in and no one will even see it."

"So what?! He's _my_ cat! Why should I let you decide what I'm getting my cat?" He scowled and turned his gaze to Shirayuki, red meeting red briefly before she looked away. "Ume. What do you think?"

"…ah…w-well…I do kind of like…the style Slasher has now…but K-Kirishima has a good point…about blue standing out more…it would be easier for people to see…if Slasher gets outside again…"

Bakugou was silent for a long moment and finally released a growl of frustration. "Fine! I'm getting him a _red_ collar! How's _that_ for "manly"?!"

Behind him, Kirishima blinked and then grinned. "Yeah! That sounds awesome! He's going to look so cool!"

"…I…I like red, too…" Shirayuki timidly agreed. Her eyes lifted from the ground and roamed over to where Bakugou was holding her hand. His hand felt warmer than Kirishima's had and when she focused on that warmth, her pulse started to get erratic. She began to feel self-conscious so she looked forward.

_Why…do I feel like this? I feel like…I'm being stared at…but I know I'm not. I keep thinking about walking and I…feel like I'm stumbling now. Why is that? I feel…awkward. _She saw him look at her again, from the edge of her vision, and she lowered her head a little.

At the pet store, the girl was immediately drawn to the adoptable cats and spent a good amount of time with them. Offering her hand for them to sniff, quietly reassuring the cats that they would soon find their forever homes. It made her heart hurt to see so many cats needing homes, but she knew that they would find families eventually.

"Awww. I wish I could get a cat." The voice came from beside her as she rubbed beneath an orange tabby cat's chin. The girl was kneeling down so she had not noticed her friend's approach, but now Kirishima was standing next to her. When he saw her look up, he rubbed the back of his neck and turned his head to the side. "I mean, you guys make it look fun."

Kirishima crouched next to her and reached out a hand toward a smoky grey cat. The feline approached the front of their cage and booped their nose against his fingertip in greeting. The almost worried look he had been wearing was replaced by a smile as he let the cat rub its cheek against his hand. "I get why you like them, Yuki. They're pretty awesome."

She looked at her friend, still remembering the frown he had when she first saw him beside her. A tightening began in her chest, her stomach starting to twist in knots. "…if…if you want to…we have six cats that…technically don't have owners…and I'm sure that one of them…might be a good fit…"

"I'd really like to adopt one, but we can't have pets at my place."

"…Todoroki-kun…he adopted the last kitten, but…he can't have her at his house so she lives with us…and he visits her…s-so if you want to…um…" Her eyes widened as a warm hand planted on her shoulder and her friend grinned.

"Yuki, that'd be so cool! Alright! How about I come over after school tomorrow and you can help me pick one?"

She felt like her heart did a flip in her chest. The sight of his grin made her smile shyly behind her mask and she let her hair fall over her eyes. "…you're…really okay with it…?"

"Of course! This is perfect! I'll have a cat, too, and this means we get to hang out more, right? I mean, if you're okay with it. So I can visit the cat and hang out with you." A faint pink tint rose to his face as he said this, but he continued to grin. "I should probably get them something cool, right? Like a gift. I'll be back; I'm going to go find something!"

Shirayuki finished spending time with the adoptable cats just as he returned and they started to walk toward the cat supplies as he showed her the cat bed he had picked out. It was a cave type bed that was shaped like a shark with its mouth open wide; made so the cat was supposed to sleep in the mouth part. "…it's…this is really cute…" she assured him.

"Right? I saw it and I thought it would be pretty cool-!"

"Hey! Ume, this one or this one?" Bakugou's voice cut through the rest of Kirishima's sentence. He stormed over to the two, glaring, holding up two different cat collars. One was a black collar with a red bell and flames printed along the side of the collar. The other was a crimson collar with black metal studs and a black bell. "Which one?!" he demanded, losing his patience.

"…ah…I-I like…the red one…"

The blond smirked and tossed the other collar onto a shelf to his side. "Of course you would! I knew you'd like this one better! You've got decent taste. C'mon. I need help picking out a brush now." His free hand moved to grab hers and he led her down an aisle, away from her friend.

"…h-how long is Slasher's hair…?" she asked, trying to determine what brush would be best. She lifted her eyes to his and they widened as he leaned down.

A finger slipped beneath the edge of her mask and slid it down to expose the bottom half of her face. His mouth met hers in a quick kiss before he pulled away with a smirk. Instantly, heat bloomed in the girl's face until her cheeks were almost as red as her eyes.

There was a squirming, excited sort of feeling in her stomach for an instant before she took a step back. "…I…um…I didn't…realize…"

"What're you saying, Ume? Just say it! C'mon! I wanna hear you yell at me!"

Her hands balled into fists and she shook her head. "…I…I can't…"

"What? You want me to really give you something to blush about, you nerd?"

"…n-no, I just…I'm n-nervous and…"

"What's that? I can't hear you when you keep mumbling!"

Tears of anger started to take form and her emotions took control for a moment. "Stop trying to embarrass me!" The words came out in a half-shout.

Bakugou's smirk grew. "That's more like it! Do it again! What else?! Give me all you've got, Ume! I wanna hear you yell!"


	59. Chapter 59

_Tomorrow night…is the sleepover. Do I need to bring something? Do I bring a gift for a sleepover? Should I make cookies or bring snacks? I put together my notes from all of our classes and I…tried to simplify them by main points, but…can I really help Ashido-chan study?_

Shirayuki kept her head bowed as she pulled her phone from her pocket and began to type a message to Ashido. It had been a few days since the pink-haired girl pitched the idea to her and they only discussed it over the phone or through email. Mostly to make sure that none of their other friends decided to invite themselves to the sleepover.

Just the thought of one of the boys being there made Shirayuki's stomach twist in anxious knots. All of her pajamas were kind of embarrassing to wear in front of someone else. Like all of her clothes, her grandmother had bought them for her intending for them to be stylish. She was sure that none of her classmates wore pajamas with cats or skulls on them, though.

For the past few days, she had taken the train home alone and walked to her house by herself. Of course, she was in contact with Ashido for most of the commute because it made her feel a little bit safer. Even if it was still pretty embarrassing. So much so that she had yet to tell Shinsou about it.

_I hope that he's alright. He…always seems busy after school, but he won't say why. I saw him walking with Aizawa-sensei after class yesterday. Is it actually tutoring? Or…maybe he's taking extra courses…to try to get caught up to join the hero course?_

Behind her mask, she smiled. If he did get into the hero course, they would have that much more in common. It was one more thing that they could share and she might be able to help him. Though she would never be able to repay him for how much he had helped her since the school year began. He was the catalyst that had pushed her to make friends with her classmates.

_Right…I need to hurry home. If I wait too long, I'll miss this train and have to wait for the next one. The second one is…so busy._ She winced, remembering how packed it had been yesterday when she was running late.

Shirayuki's pace quickened and she carefully made her way past slower moving students on the sidewalk. A few minutes later, she became aware of a piercing glare burning into her back. The girl chanced a glance over her shoulder and briefly met the narrowed red eyes of a classmate in the distance.

Bakugou's pace picked up when he knew she saw him, sliding around upperclassmen and making his way toward Shirayuki. He finally caught up to her at the station and grimaced. "What the hell was that about? You saw me!"

"…I…I'm sorry, but I…had to hurry so I wouldn't miss the first train…" she tried to explain to him. Shirayuki got on and found the ash blond boy following closely. "…ah…wh-what…?"

His hand closed around her wrist and he led her through the increasingly crowded train to a pair of seats. Bakugou nudged her into the seat next to the window and he took the one near the aisle, keeping her from being bumped by people walking past. Once they were both sitting down, his hold slipped from her wrist and his hand gripped hers, lacing their fingers.

"How long have you been walking home by yourself?" he grumbled, glancing toward the girl as she finished a message to Ashido.

"…um…th-this is the…third day…I think…?" Shirayuki bowed her head, letting her dark violet hair fall around her face. "…maybe…fourth, but…this was going to be…the third in a row…"

He leaned back in his seat, making himself comfortable. The boy's expression changed from unbridled irritation to something hard to identify. A cross between smugness and satisfaction. "I guess I'll have to walk you home, then."

"…ah…n-no, that's…it's okay…I don't…I don't want to make you…go out of your way…I can…get home on my own…" she tried to reassure him.

Bakugou frowned and squeezed her hand slightly. "I want to walk you home, got it? You should've said something sooner. I would've walked you home yesterday and the day before that if I knew you were walking by yourself."

_Why does he…sound kind of…worried?_ Lifting her head, Shirayuki could see it in his face, too. She was so used to seeing him scowl and glare that seeing this concerned expression was a little startling. At the same time, she could feel her pulse speeding up.

Her fingers twitched between his and she turned her head so she was looking out the window at the scenery speeding past. "…th-thank you…Bakugou…" His reflection in the window showed that his cheeks had a faintly pink tint to them as he glanced over at her.

Shirayuki expected that he would walk her to her house and then leave for his own house, but was surprised to find him still holding her hand and leading the way up to the door. She quietly called a greeting to her grandmother and mentioned that she had a visitor with her.

The old woman emerged from the sitting room to greet them, expecting Shinsou or Todoroki. When she spotted Bakugou, it was clear that she was a little concerned, but she was much too nice to let it show for more than a second. "Oh, Ume! Is your friend going to stay for dinner? I'm making plenty of food, if he wants to eat with us."

Bakugou was already taking off his shoes. Without even looking up, he mumbled, "I'm her _boyfriend_." He failed to see the expression the woman made.

The girl was able to see her grandmother's eyebrows raise. "…um…a-are you…staying for dinner…?"

"Yeah. Hang on, I'm gonna call my house and tell someone."

Her grandmother gently guided Shirayuki toward the kitchen and held her granddaughter by the shoulders. "Ume. Are you and that boy-?"

"…I…I've tried telling him…that we're not…d-dating, but…he never listens…um…I don't…think he's serious…h-he likes to…tease people so…um…"

"That boy didn't look like he was joking."

"…Grandma…I'll…tell him when he leaves…again…" she assured her.

"Well, alright. As long as you make your feelings known, Ume. Don't let anyone pressure you into anything. If you don't want to date that boy, it's perfectly fine. Life's too short to let other people make decisions for you."

Dinner would still take a little while to finish cooking so Shirayuki went to feed the cats in the sitting room. Bakugou sat on the couch, watching her fill all seven bowls of food with some dry kibble. The swarm of felines that came sprinting into the room was what one might describe as nightmarish. He jumped a little when the hoard came through the doorway and then looked annoyed at himself for it.

"Which one did Kirishima pick?"

"…oh…um…this one…" She knelt on the floor next to a sleek, silver cat with spots on its sides. The cat was happily devouring the food in her bowl and gave a small chirp when she realized that the two teenagers were paying attention to her.

"What's its name?" Bakugou leaned forward and rubbed his fingers together, trying to get the cat to go over to him. When the silver cat ignored him, he scowled and started making the "pst" noise that sometimes worked to beckon cats.

"…her name is Eileen…"

The boy's head shot in her direction and he raised an eyebrow. "Why does she have an English name?"

"…she's…from an animal shelter that had too many cats…she came from someone that…was studying abroad…and they met someone in Tokyo…and they were expecting a baby so…they left her at the shelter…" Shirayuki frowned behind her mask and lowered her head. The story always bothered her, every time she had to tell it. Like her father, she was very passionate about cats. It broke her heart that someone would just abandon theirs.

"That's stupid." He moved off of the couch and sat next to her, pulling the cat onto his lap to pet it. The cat growled at first, but then started rubbing her smooth silver cheek against his hand and purring.

Seeing her classmate interact with the cat reminded her of how concerned he had seemed earlier when he insisted on walking her home. Shirayuki's heart skipped a beat and she felt warmth rising to her face. Bowing her head, she fidgeted with the hairband on her wrist. "…I…try to look at it this way, though…um…if they were having a baby…Eileen-chan…wouldn't get as much attention…and they might not have enough money to take care of her so…it might have…been for the best…"

Bakugou lifted his eyes from the cat, focusing on Shirayuki and seeing the blush on her face. He smirked and let the cat down from his lap. "What're you blushing about, Ume?" She shook her head, the lower half of her face still hidden behind her mask. "Your face is turning red."

"…I just…ah…" The girl's hands curled into fists and she forced herself to lift her head. _I have to be brave! I have to just…say how I feel! A hero wouldn't hold back! _She lifted a trembling hand and drew her mask down so it hung loose around her neck.

Her eyes closed as she took a deep breath. "I…like it when you're nice, Bakugou. It…makes my h-heart beat faster…when you're nice to me or…when you're nice to a cat." The confession turned her face a vibrant, hot shade of red that made her face feel like it was glowing. She had kept her voice quiet, but loud enough to make her feelings heard.

"What's that supposed to mean? Aren't I always nice to you?!"

Shirayuki opened her eyes and saw him lifting a hand to try to hide the pink tint appearing on his face. "…I-I'm…sorry…"

For a moment, they were both quiet as he seemed to force himself to stop blushing and Shirayuki silently worried that she might have offended him. She bowed her head again, toying with her hairband and trying to think of how she could properly apologize to him.

When he finally looked at her again, he was smirking. "What was that about your heart beating faster around me?"

"…I…I don't know…I'm sorry…I d-didn't mean to…say you're usually m-mean, but…um…" She felt a hand close around her wrist and she was abruptly pulled forward. The girl's stomach felt like it was doing flips as she felt the boy's lips crash against hers. _Why…do I feel so…warm? I feel like…there are butterflies in my stomach. He's usually so scary so why…?_

The contact between them broke seconds before her grandmother appeared in the doorway to tell them that dinner was ready. Both teenagers were still blushing; one with just a faint pink tint and the other blushing bright red. Shirayuki hardly ate due to the growing feeling of nervousness, but Bakugou ate all of the food that her grandmother gave him.

Throughout the meal, he made a point of telling her grandmother that the food was good. He even helped to clear the table. When he left, he seemed satisfied with how the evening went and that was when it dawned on Shirayuki. He had gone out of his way to try to make her grandmother like him more.

_Does it…bother him that she doesn't like him? Does he know? _She was washing the dishes after he left, frowning and feeling a little guilty for not realizing it sooner. When he was putting forth effort to be nice, to her or to her grandmother or even to one of the cats. His soft, caring face was what made her heart beat faster, she realized.

"Your sleepover is tomorrow, isn't it? I'll make plenty of snacks for you to take with you," her grandmother offered.

"…th-that's alright…um…it's just…me and Ashido-chan so…we really don't need a lot…" Shirayuki finished washing the dishes and excused herself to her room, planning to sort through her notes again.

Sitting on her bed, she flipped through her notebook to the notes she had organized. Reading through them, she made sure that they would be easy to understand and that her handwriting was clear enough. She was adding something to a note when her phone started to ring.

She jolted and answered her phone quickly, not wanting the ringing to disturb her grandmother. "…ah…Sh-Shirayuki Ume…speaking…"

"This…this is _Yuki_…right?"

"…T-Tamaki…?" She had given him her number when Togata had suggested that they all trade numbers, but he had yet to call her.

There was a small, relieved sigh. "I…wanted to ask you something. But…um…this is difficult. I should've practiced more. D-do you…want to visit the agency tomorrow after school? Fat Gum…wanted to talk to you about something."

She wanted to smile because she really enjoyed talking with Fat Gum and Amajiki. However, she remembered her plans with Ashido. "…ah…c-could I…call you back…? I-I need to…tell someone…um…I-I _want_ to go, but I'm…sleeping over at a friend's tomorrow night…I'm sure she'll understand i-if I'm late, though…"

"W-wait!" he blurted out. The boy took a deep breath, psyching himself up for what he was about to say. "I-I thought we could…eat dinner together somewhere. I mean…after we leave the agency. I-in the evening."

"Alright, Tamaki! See? I told you that you could do it!" Togata's voice could be heard in the background. "What'd she say?"

"…um…ah…alright…I'll…t-tell my friend that I'll be a little late…"


	60. Chapter 60

Ashido told her that it was fine that she would come over later than planned. In fact, the pink-haired girl seemed really excited when she heard that Shirayuki was going with their upperclassmen. Even with her friend's blessing, Shirayuki still felt guilty about the change of plans.

"…you're…sure that it's okay…?" She glanced over at her friend as they walked down the hallway from their classroom.

"Of course! Yuki, a pro hero wants to talk with you! It's super important! You _have_ to go! I'm kind of jealous, to be honest. You're making connections right now for when you graduate. Fat Gum will probably want to take you on as a sidekick after high school."

"…i-it's probably just…something small…he knew my father…so…"

"That's awesome!" Ashido grinned and patted her on the back. "Not to mention, didn't you say that upperclassman wanted to have dinner with you when you're done at the agency? That's pretty cool!"

"…it's…cool…?"

"Of course it is! He probably likes you, Yuki!" Her friend paused and grabbed the other girl's shoulders, her pure black eyes staring into her friend's crimson ones. "You have to tell me every detail, okay? And if he makes you cry, he's gonna have to answer to _me_, got it?"

"What's going on? Is Yuki going on a date or something?" Kaminari approached the two with a raised eyebrow, Kirishima right behind him.

"…n-no…it's not a date…my senpai from Fat Gum's agency…h-he just asked if I…want to get dinner after I visit today…it's…it's not a date…" Shirayuki did her best to make her protests heard, but her mask muffled her voice and her face was turning a bright shade of pink.

Grinning, Kaminari leaned in closer to the two girls. "What? There's nothing wrong if it _is_ a date, right? So what's he like?"

"Hey, let it go. If she said it's not a date, it's not a date. You're going to embarrass her," Kirishima spoke up. He frowned and came up beside Kaminari, glancing from the blond boy to the violet-haired girl. Their eyes briefly met. Rubbing the back of his neck, he looked away. "I have to go. See you on Monday, you guys."

Shirayuki felt a heaviness settle in the pit of her stomach as he turned away and she lowered her gaze to the floor. For that brief moment when their eyes met, she saw something there that made her guilt increase tenfold. More than just concern; his eyes held fear and disappointment.

Kaminari went after Kirishima and Ashido went her separate way soon after, telling Shirayuki that she was excited for their sleepover. Shirayuki continued down the hallway alone, her head bowed as she fought back tears. _Kirishima…looked so upset. I made him upset, didn't I? I don't know what to do. I don't know…how I can make him feel better._

Standing outside, she reached into her bag and found her phone. She typed a message to him, but hesitated to send it. Staring at her phone screen with teary eyes, she bit her lip behind her mask. _It's my fault. It's all my fault. How can I make him feel better? I just…want to make him feel better. He looked so upset._

"Yuki…?" The voice came from her left and Amajiki took on a startled expression when he saw tears roll down her face. "Are…are you okay?"

She quickly wiped at her tears, her cheeks turning red again from embarrassment. "…I-I'm sorry…um…I just…my friend…h-he's upset and I…I want to cheer him up, but I just…I don't kn-know what to say…"

_How can I be a hero if I can't even help my friend? _Fresh tears spilled down her cheeks, soaking into her mask, and she began to tremble. _I have to do something. I have to…be courageous and do something to make this better._ She lifted her head, making her eyes meet the dark eyes of Amajiki. "…I-I'm sorry, but…could we…could we m-meet some other time…and could you…t-tell Fat Gum that I'm sorry, but I…I have to do something to help my friend…"

Amajiki looked alarmed at first, eyes widening slightly. A warm hue rose to his face, spreading out to the tips of his pointed ears. He lowered his head and gave a small nod. "Okay…that's fine. I-I was kind of nervous…and I know it was short notice anyway. Um…could you call me later? We can talk about what day would work." His voice, though quiet, held relief.

She nodded and soon Shirayuki was hurrying down the sidewalk. Never before in her life had she nudged past strangers so she could get somewhere faster. She was always polite, always timid. Murmuring soft apologies whenever she even slightly bumped someone else's shoulder. Now she was being bold.

The girl tried to avoid actually bumping anyone, but when she saw the bright red hair of her friend up ahead, she quickened her pace to a run. He was oblivious; walking with his hands in his pockets, alone. When Shirayuki caught up to him, she made the boldest move of all.

In her frantic need to somehow cheer him up, to lift his spirits from the sadness she saw earlier, Shirayuki panicked and did the first thing that came to mind. It was embarrassing. Her face turned as bright red as his hair as both arms wrapped around him from behind and she pressed her face between his shoulder blades.

Kirishima jolted at the abrupt hug and froze in his steps. "Hey! What-?" He looked over his shoulder and found her timidly looking up from behind stray locks of dark violet hair. Instantly, a pink flush overtook his face. "Yuki?! What is it? Are you okay? Did someone try to-?"

"I…I'm not…good at cheering people up," she started, forcing herself to speak up more than usual. "Before you talked to me…I never really had friends. When I see you upset, I want to make you feel better. But I don't know what to do. So I…panicked. I'm sorry."

A grin spread across his face and he turned around, wrapping his arms around her in a hug and pulling her against him. "Yuki! Do you have any idea how cute you are?!"

"…wh-what…?" She felt her pulse speeding up and both hands grasped the back of his shirt tightly. "…I…I don't understand…um…s-so the hug…?"

"I love it! I mean, I don't really want to let you go now!" He laughed a little and squeezed her closer against him for a second before moving his hands to her shoulders. Kirishima saw her blushing and his grin turned sheepish. "You're too sweet, you know that? You really came running after me…it's like something from a movie! That was really cool!"

Shirayuki closed her eyes when he lifted a hand to try to wipe her tears away. "…did it…cheer you up…?"

He blinked in surprise and his grin fell. "Well, _yeah_! The girl I like just gave me a hug. I'd have to be pretty cold to not be cheered up by that!"

She thought it was impossible, but even more blood rushed to her face and she lowered her head. _That…was why he was so sad. I wasn't even thinking. _Shirayuki hugged him tighter, her pulse skipping when he patted her on the back. "…I…I told my senpai…that I wanted to cheer you up so…m-my plans got cancelled…um…if you want to…if you don't have p-plans…Ashido-chan isn't expecting me for a while…"

Kirishima leaned back and took both of her hands in his. The boy's smile was warm enough to make her heart feel like it was melting. "Wanna go somewhere fun? Just the two of us?"

**Shift P.O.V**

It hurt when he heard that she had plans to go to dinner with that upperclassman. Kirishima knew he should just be happy that she seemed excited, but it was impossible to ignore his own feelings. He liked her a lot and when she started dating that boy from class 1-C, it had hurt. He was worried it would happen again. At least if she was with Bakugou, he could still hang out with her a lot.

When she surprised him with that hug, he was so worried that she might have been in danger. The second he knew that this was just a hug, not a silent plea for help, the world seemed to fall away around them. It felt like they were the only two people left and his heart started to race.

As much as he wanted to keep that respectful distance, since it had been such a short while since her break up, he could not deny that he wanted this. Being able to hug Shirayuki made him feel like he was floating on a cloud. He hated to see her cry, but the fact that she was this worried about him proved how much she liked him.

Once she agreed to hanging out with him until she had to meet with Ashido, he knew exactly where he should take her. After all, the cat café had made her so happy before. Kirishima wanted her to be able to forget any sadness or guilt she might have felt and replace it with joy. He wanted to see her smile.

Shirayuki was sitting across from him, currently petting a cat with short fur and strange, folded ears. She seemed lost in this blissful moment and when she realized that he was watching her, her eyes sort of crinkled at the corners as she smiled behind her mask. "…this one…I've only seen a Scottish fold once before…"

"A Scottish fold? Oh! Because of his ears? Wait. You could tell what kind of cat he was right away?" Kirishima saw her nod and he beamed. "You probably know a lot about cats though, right? You've probably always had them."

"…ah…w-well…not always so many…" She lowered her head a bit and reached up to pull down her mask, revealing her frown. "…when I was really little…before my father died…we only had one cat…"

"What kind was it?" He knew how much she loved cats and he wanted to know more about her. Shirayuki never really talked about her life before she lived with her grandmother. _I bet they had one of those cool exotic breeds. Didn't she say that her mom really loved cats? But her dad was into them because her mom was._

Crimson eyes half-closed as she rested a hand on the cat's back. "…h-her name was Aika, but…I called her "Neechan"…she was around nine years old when I was born…and she was a black cat with one yellow eye and…one green eye…um…she actually…lived to be around eighteen…"

"Whoa! That's pretty old, right?"

She nodded. "…she was in my life for nine years, but…a little before I moved to my grandmother's house…she passed away in her sleep…"

"She probably lived a really good life, though! I bet you guys took really good care of her," he assured her. Kirishima could see that she was starting to look a little bit sad and hurried to think of a way to lighten the mood. The answer came in the form of a rather portly-looking dark orange cat waddling its way over to the table. It plopped down beside his chair and began to loudly meow to be picked up. Despite being in good shape, it was still a bit of struggle to heft the blobby cat onto his lap. "Hey, so what kind of cat is this guy?"

Shirayuki blinked in surprise and stared at the cat for a long moment. Her lips stretched into a wide grin as she gave the cat a half-bow. "…Blob-san…" She blushed pink when Kirishima chuckled, but she seemed pleased to have made him laugh.

**Shift P.O.V**

With the approach of the hero course's summer training camp, his additional training would be put on a brief hold. His mentor seemed to be compensating by pushing him harder in their private lessons. It left him a little bruised and fatigued, but it was all going to be worth it.

Once he was in the hero course, Shinsou could start to move toward becoming a hero. As he walked down the sidewalk, he hoped to get into class 1-A. It would be ideal for his goal and then he could be in the same class as Shirayuki. They could do homework together and they would be able to get as close as they were before.

His after-school training had ended a bit earlier than expected so he was just gradually making his way home from the station. Contemplating stopping to grab some snacks and maybe drop by Shirayuki's house to surprise her. He frowned, remembering what she had said the previous night.

They had sent messages back and forth to talk about their weekend plans. He knew before that she was planning to have a sleepover with her female friend Ashido, but when she mentioned going to Fat Gum's hero agency with her upperclassman, he started to worry a little. It was true that they had broken up, but he could not deny that he still liked her.

Shinsou grimaced, the heat of the summer sun starting to bother him. He went into a convenience store and grabbed a bottle of water before going to look at possible snacks. It reminded him of that day he and Shirayuki skipped school. They had spent the day sitting on the couch in her sitting room, watching movies and eating snacks together.

They would both have at least a few days free during the summer. Once she came back from the summer training camp, he knew there would still be a bit of the break before the next term started. He wanted to have another day like that one; where they could just spend the day together hanging out in her house.

He made his purchases and started to think about how to pitch this idea to Shirayuki. She was still sort of delicate; easily made anxious. He had to be careful how he presented the suggestion.


	61. Chapter 61

As nervous as she had been, the sleepover was pretty fun. Of course, they studied for the upcoming exams, but Shirayuki got to experience what it was like to stay the night at someone else's home. They watched movies and talked about the upcoming summer training camp. All in all, she felt like her confidence increased a little after pushing herself to go to the sleepover.

She was a little embarrassed about it, but she had told Ashido about cancelling her plans to visit Fat Gum's agency and going after Kirishima to see if he was okay. To her surprise, rather than find it silly, Ashido said she was really proud of her. Although, she still giggled a little about the whole hugging situation.

It was the next day, around noon, when she left Ashido's home to return to her house. Shirayuki was thinking about all of the chores she needed to do that day. _Laundry…I need to change the blanket to a thinner one. A few of the cats need to be brushed. I hope Grandma doesn't try to do it herself._

Shirayuki turned the corner onto her street and paused in her steps, feeling an intense stare directed at her. She fidgeted with the strap of her overnight bag, but lifted her eyes to meet another pair of crimson ones. _What…?_

Bakugou had been leaning against the gate in front of her house, but soon he was making his way toward her. "There you are. Where were you? What's with the bag?" he demanded as he got near.

"...I-I…was at a sleepover…at Ashido-chan's house…" she admitted. It seemed safe, now that the sleepover was over.

His eyes narrowed a little more and he frowned. "What the hell? You guys had a sleepover? Why didn't you say anything sooner?!"

"…it…it was just supposed to be us girls…" Her voice was dropping to a whisper and she lowered her head again. "…um…wh-why are you…ah…what brings you to the n-neighborhood…?"

Recovering quickly from his irritation, he smirked. "I'm supposed to meet that shitty hair Kirishima in half an hour to help him study. You're coming with me. You're on a different level from most of those others; you're actually pretty smart."

Warmth bloomed in her cheeks behind her mask and she peered up at him through her dark violet hair. "…th-thank you…?"

"C'mon. You're not taking that bag with you, right? Besides; you've gotta grab your notes and stuff from class. That idiot needs all the help he can get." Bakugou grabbed her free hand and started leading her down the sidewalk toward her house, a satisfied expression on his face.

_He…wants me to help tutor Kirishima? _Her heart was already beating fast from him grabbing her hand, but now it was beating twice as quickly as his request sank in. She was immediately reminded of throwing her arms around her friend and she felt her face go from pink to red. "…a-are you sure…you want me to help…?"

"I said it before, didn't I?! You're smarter than most of those idiots in our class so between the two of us, we should be able to get him to pass! Besides…" He grimaced and lowered his head as a warm tint rose to his cheeks. "If I've gotta waste my time today, I want you to be there with me."

Shirayuki's eyes widened a little and, for a moment, she wondered if she heard him correctly. _That…sounded so…_She bit the inside of her cheek and bowed her head again. Walking a bit quicker, she moved to stroll next to him rather than trailing slightly behind. _Brave. Brave like…yesterday. I was brave when I wanted to cheer up Kirishima. I need to push myself…I need to be like that more often!_

She took a moment to change clothes; having only brought some pajamas, a toothbrush, and some handwritten study guides in her overnight bag. Since it was pretty warm, she settled on a summery outfit. A pair of black shorts, a lavender tank top, and a pale pink jacket with short sleeves and a hood. Shirayuki put her dark violet hair into a loose braid in an effort to seem more confident.

Most of the walk to the café where Bakugou was supposed to meet Kirishima, the boy asked questions about her sleepover with Ashido. The girls had purposefully avoided telling the boys in their friend group because Ashido knew that at least one of them would have tried to assert their way into the sleepover.

He turned to demand she tell him the next time she was going to sleep at Ashido's, but paused and scowled. Seeing her face a bright red shade, her hairline dotted with sweat, he knew she was overheating. Bakugou took her hand and pulled her into the shade of a shop's overhang. "You're gonna overheat. Why're you wearing a jacket anyway?"

"…I-I just…I don't l-like showing too much…" Her face was turning an even brighter shade, now from embarrassment. She already felt nervous wearing shorts so going sleeveless sent her heart palpitating.

Bakugou lifted his free hand and hooked a finger into her mask, his face a few inches away from hers. "You'll pass out if you don't do something to cool down, Ume!" Tugging at her mask, his scowl turned to a smirk. "Take this off."

"…wh-what…no, I-I can't…I don't…w-want people to see…"

"Why do you care so much about what other people think anyway? I think your face is cute; so what they think doesn't matter." He pulled a bit harder and his smirk grew. "So take it off."

She felt her stomach twisting in knots, but reached a shaking hand behind her head to untie the mask. The lavender medical mask came loose and before she could retrieve it, Bakugou shoved it into his pocket. "…w-wait…give it back…"

"You'll get it back when we're done. Come on."

When they entered the café, she kept her head down and let him lead the way to the table where their friend was already waiting. She knew her face was still pink as she slipped into the booth, sitting next to the window. Glancing across the table, she saw Kirishima staring with wide eyes as his own face started to flush a faint shade of pink.

"What're you staring at?" The blond boy shot him a glare as he sat next to Shirayuki, his mouth twisting into a scowl.

"I didn't know that you were bringing Yuki with you," the red-haired boy quickly explained. "Not to mention that she's not wearing her mask. Yuki, do you usually not wear one in the summer?"

"I confiscated it," Bakugou grumbled as he opened his notebook. "She's here to help me try to get you ready for the exams, got it? So don't slack off and waste both our time!"

"Hey, so did you already eat lunch, Yuki? I didn't order anything yet so if you want something, I'll treat you." Kirishima grinned across the table at her.

A hand slammed down onto the table between them, Bakugou glowering at the other boy. "The hell you will! You're not paying for my girlfriend's food! Ume, order whatever the hell you want and I'm buying!"

"…I…I still have some allowance left over for this month…s-so I can…pay for my own food…" She saw Kirishima frown and Bakugou's head snapped in her direction. "…I-I'm sorry…I just…I wouldn't feel right…you've both done so much for me already in the past so…"

"I said I'm paying for yours! Save your damn money!"

Shirayuki bit her lip, feeling butterflies in her stomach when their eyes met. Remembering the soft side he had showed her when he visited her house not long ago. How nice he had been to the cats, how he had gone out of his way to try to show her grandmother that he could be polite and helpful. The way he kissed her that day.

She ordered a cheaper item from the menu along with an iced coffee, but her plan to make it simple backfired as it turned into the other two pointing out other stuff they thought she would like. By the time their orders were made, Shirayuki was wondering if there was some way she could convince Bakugou to just let her pay for hers. The amount of food they ordered was enough to make her stomach simultaneously growl and churn at the same time.

As Bakugou opened his notebook to start showing Kirishima his notes, she timidly looked through her own notes. _I should have made a copy of the study guides I gave to Ashido-chan. Those would have been really helpful. If I'd known…I could have made some for him, too._

Shirayuki heard the boy next to her explaining something to their friend and she glanced up toward Kirishima. Thinking back to the previous afternoon, when she had been so desperate to try to cheer him up that she had acted without thinking and hugged him. As nervous as she had been once he looked back at her, she felt her heart pound. Hugging him had felt nice and as she thought about it, the girl's lips curled into a small smile.

**Shift P.O.V**

_I'd die for that smile! She's so cute! I still can't believe it though. I didn't think I'd see her this soon after that whole thing yesterday. That was super embarrassing. I shouldn't have made her worry so much. I was acting kind of selfish. _Kirishima stole another glance at her and their eyes met. He flashed her a grin and saw her face turning pink.

"Pay attention! I'm not gonna repeat myself, got it?! This part's gonna be on the test for sure so you'd better stop spacing off and listen!" Bakugou slammed a hand down onto the book in front of him, snapping him back to what was being said. "What the hell are you staring at anyway, shitty hair?"

"Nothing! Just chill, Bakugou; I'm listening." He rubbed the back of his neck and attempted to focus on the tutoring session again. Though his attention was soon divided again as Shirayuki flipped through a textbook.

He watched the way a stray lock of violet hair fell loose beside her face and she carefully pushed it behind her ear. The way her crimson eyes skimmed over the pages intently, all while her cheeks remained a warm pink shade. He tilted his head slightly, studying her face and trying to memorize every detail since it was so rare for her to go without her mask.

"Hey, Yuki. You're good at math, right? Can you help me with this part?" Kirishima tapped his pencil against an equation on his paper, his heart skipping a beat when she looked up.

"…oh…um…s-sure…let me see…um…"

"Here you go." He slid it across to her, along with his pencil. Pointing at the equation, he gave her a slight pout. "I don't get how this equation works. Can you explain it to me?"

"What the hell?! I was just explaining it to you!" Bakugou growled.

"Yeah, but you're all over the place! You're making it sound super complicated. I want to know how Yuki solves it."

"Tch. Fine, whatever! I'll be right back. Don't screw around while I'm gone! Solve the damn equation!"

Kirishima watched him storm off toward the bathroom and then turned back to Shirayuki. "Hey. You're okay, right?" he asked, softening his tone.

She blinked in surprise and lowered her head. "…I-I'm fine…just…a little nervous…b-but that's normal…right…?"

He beamed and reached over, resting a hand over hers. "Yeah, but you're pushing yourself today, aren't you? I mean, it's good training to try to make yourself more outgoing, but don't overdo it, okay? If you're not comfortable, tell me and I'll get your mask back for you. I saw it sticking out of his pocket."

"…K-Kirishima…thank you…"

It was at that moment that their orders arrived. A massive chocolate strawberry parfait was put in front of Shirayuki and the boy saw her eyes widen. He rubbed at the back of his neck, feeling kind of embarrassed. After all of the squabbling, he had ordered this for her; thinking that she would like it. The little smile on her face indicated that she did, but the wide crimson eyes also indicated that she was intimidated.

"Wanna split it?" he offered, raising an eyebrow.

"…ah…y-yes, please…"

He grinned and picked up his spoon to scoop a little ice cream and chocolate onto it. Leaning across the table, he held it out for her to take a bite. Her face was bright red, but she ate it and smiled shyly. Next, he scooped up some for himself with the same spoon and ate from it without even blinking. "Wow! This is awesome!"

"What're you doing? Who said you could take a break?" Bakugou sat next to Shirayuki again, clearly irritated that they had stopped working on the equations. "I don't care if she eats, but you're not done yet."

"Awww! C'mon! It's just a little break! We should eat before the food gets cold, right?"

"That's a parfait, idiot. It's supposed to be cold."

Kirishima pouted slightly and gathered another spoonful before leaning over, offering it to Shirayuki to take a bite. That made Bakugou tense in his seat and visibly grit his teeth. It was after seeing Kirishima eat from the same spoon that he finally exploded with anger.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?! Who said you could share spoons with my girl?" He wrapped an arm around Shirayuki, pulling her against his side and glaring across the table at their friend.

The red-haired boy held up his hands in defeat. "It's not a big deal! We're just eating ice cream! Honestly, I wasn't even thinking about an indirect kiss!"


	62. Chapter 62

NeonHorizon: Written on Bakugou's birthday. Hooray.

* * *

Shirayuki was trembling in her seat, her head down and her heart racing with unease. Beside her, Bakugou was seething as Kirishima continued to try to explain why sharing a spoon with her was no big deal. The way Bakugou's arm tightened around her made it clear that he was just getting more and more irritated.

Finally, it seemed to be too much for him. "Whatever. It's not like it actually means anything."

Kirishima tilted his head a bit to the side. "I mean, yeah, but no?"

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Uh…" The red-haired boy glanced from Bakugou to Shirayuki and gave her a questioning look, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Just spit it out! What's your problem?!" The other boy slammed a hand onto the table between them, glaring across at Kirishima.

His expression brightened and he grinned. "Hey, so how long have you liked Yuki? How'd you ask her out?"

Shirayuki shrank in on herself a little, fidgeting with a long strand of dark violet hair to the side of her face. "…I…c-could we…get back to studying…?" She lifted her gaze and shifted it to Bakugou, who tensed for a moment before he gradually calmed down.

"Yeah. Let's get this over with."

"Oh. You guys have plans after this?" Kirishima took on a surprised, almost anxious expression.

"So what? You're not going with us. When we go, you'd better keep working on this stuff. We don't have a lot of time before the test." Bakugou's arm dropped from around Shirayuki's shoulders and he shoved an open notebook toward Kirishima, lifting his right hand to point at something.

As he talked, his left hand dropped to his side and reached for Shirayuki's. The girl felt his fingers lace with hers and when she glanced over at him again, his expression had lost the terrifying ferocity it held before. She quietly chimed in when they came to topics she knew really well, her face still pink from having her hand held and from missing her mask.

The rest of the study session went smoothly, despite the occasional outburst from Bakugou. Shirayuki mostly sat watching. She was surprised with how well he knew the subjects. _He's…really smart_, she thought as she listened to him explain one of the equations. _And he's trying to be patient. I can tell because he keeps squeezing my hand when he starts to get too…_

He glanced over and, realizing that she had been staring, a faint hint of warmth rose to his face. Narrowing his eyes, he squeezed her hand again and tried to focus on the problem he was explaining to Kirishima. He glanced toward her again and smirked when he saw her face turning red as she looked away.

Shirayuki's pulse skipped when their eyes briefly met. "…I…have chores at home so…I-I can't stay for much longer…"

"Oh! Sorry, Yuki! Yeah; it's getting kind of late, huh?" Kirishima grinned and closed the notebook in front of him. "After the exams, we should do something fun! I mean, we've got the training camp after that, but I mean before we go there!"

"…y-yeah…that sounds fun…" She smiled, but quickly lifted a hand to try to hide the wide smile her mouth formed.

The girl expected to get her mask back from Bakugou and to walk home alone, but found that he had other plans. Still holding her hand, he started leading the way back toward her neighborhood. He made no move to take her mask out of his pocket and when he saw her looking toward it, he scowled.

"You don't need it. No one was even looking at you in that place. And didn't I say that I like your face? Don't keep it covered up all the time." His free hand lifted, ruffling his own hair and an irritated sigh escaping him. "That shitty hair Kirishima. What's his problem?"

"…um…y-you…did a really good job…tutoring him today…" Shirayuki bowed her head more when he looked over, letting her hair fall around her face. "…you…really know the materials well and…you were pretty patient with him…" To her surprise, she saw his face actually turn red from the corner of her eye.

"Whatever. It's not like he's gonna retain any of the stuff I taught him." His mouth twitched into a smirk and he gave her hand a squeeze. "What? Were you impressed?"

"Y-yeah!" She pushed herself, trying really hard to make eye contact and speak clearly without hesitation. _I need to train this way, too! Not just studying or working on my quirk! If I can just…talk normally…_Shirayuki swallowed the lump in her throat and made her crimson eyes meet his. "Bakugou-kun…you're really smart and the way you explained things-!"

His cheeks were an almost glowing shade of red and he lifted his free hand to his face. The girl frowned and bowed her head again, quickly losing her confidence. _Did I embarrass him? I shouldn't have said anything. I just…wanted to be brave. I wanted him to know…_

The boy quickly regained his composure and his smirk grew before he lowered his hand. "Of course I'm awesome! What'd you expect?"

When they reached her house, she wondered if she would get her mask back from him before he left. He had already taken her favorite mask as a souvenir and she only had so many masks. Instead of parting ways, he followed her into the house. "…Bakugou-kun…?"

"You said you had chores so I'm gonna help. What do you have to do?"

"Ume, are you home? Oh!" The girl's grandmother paused in the kitchen doorway and studied her granddaughter and the boy. Her eyes focused mainly on where Bakugou was still holding Shirayuki's hand. "Hello again, young man. Are you still studying for your exams?"

"I'm helping her with chores. What do you want me to do, Granny?"

The old woman appeared conflicted at first; a little put off by him addressing her with such familiarity, but also pleasantly surprised that he was offering to help. "Well, now. I'm sure I can find a few things for you to do."

Shirayuki once again found herself impressed. Her grandmother gave him all of the most physically demanding tasks; hauling the massive bags of cat food and juggling them as he poured the food into containers for later, dragging the guest futons out of storage and hefting them over a frame outside to air out, and making him wash the windows. The impressive thing was not that he did all of this without arguing, but that he put a lot of effort into all of his tasks and did them better than she could have.

She did the smaller chores of dusting the sitting room, washing dishes, and changing sheets. When he finished, Bakugou looked annoyed, but still made no complaints. The girl brought him a glass of cold barley tea in the sitting room and tried to hide the pink tint to her cheeks. "…th-thank you…for helping today…"

He smirked and reached up for the glass, his fingers intentionally touching hers briefly. "Yeah, whatever. It's stuff that had to be done."

"Well I'm impressed, young man. You really did a good job." Shirayuki's grandmother came shuffling into the room and seated herself, reaching for the remote so she could turn on the television to watch her shows. "Oh! Ume, I have some groceries that I need to get for dinner tonight. Could you-?"

"Give me the list." Bakugou held out his hand expectantly.

_He's…really trying to make my grandma like him._ Shirayuki stepped outside with him, fidgeting with the strap of her bag. "…Bakugou-kun…thank you f-for helping so much today…I-I really appreciate it…"

The boy noticed the warm hue on her cheeks and grinned wickedly. "You're blushing over something that lame?"

"…n-no, I mean…um…you're just…I-I'm surprised…you helped me with the chores and…"

"Tch. Don't act like it's a big deal. I just don't want that old lady to hate me."

Even though he was trying to act nonchalant, it was clear that he really did care. It had been bothering him that Shirayuki's grandmother disliked him so he was going to great lengths to try to win her over. Bakugou rubbed the back of his neck and frowned.

"We've been going out for a while," he commented.

She blinked slowly, having not realized that it had been a while. A while since he had firmly told her that they were going out. At least two months, which was longer than her romantic relationship with Shinsou. Shirayuki had never agreed, but no matter how many times she tried to correct him, he insisted. "…y-yes…?"

He gritted his teeth for a moment, conflicted. Bakugou grabbed her shoulders and pulled Shirayuki closer, staring down at her quickly reddening face. "That idiot asked how long I've liked you so I'm just gonna tell you. I know you're not gonna tell anyone else."

"…I...um…I-I don't…know what to say…"

The hold on her shoulders tightened. "You remember the first day of school? You're the only one that recognized how awesome my quirk is! You were totally blown away and nobody else cared! That's the day I started liking you!"

Before she could speak, Shirayuki's lips were covered by his and her eyes half-closed. The girl was shaking a little and there was an explosion of butterflies in her stomach when she felt his arms wrap around her. Nervousness was still there, but it was slowly being overshadowed by a sweet, happy feeling that was spreading through her.

His lips felt warm and surprisingly soft against hers. The kiss held the faint taste of sweets from the café. Shirayuki's trembling grew more intense when she felt him pulling her chest against his, but she hesitated to pull away. It felt nice. She felt like she was being protected when he held her like this, even if her stomach was doing flips.

He was the one to break the kiss and smirked down at her bright red blush. "You'd better pass your exams, got it? The summer training camp is gonna be lame if you're not there."

"…I-I will…" She finally stepped back and lowered her head, fidgeting with the hairband on her wrist. "…could I…have my mask back…please…?"

"Tch. Fine. Whatever. I'll put it on you. Come here." Bakugou got closer and reached behind her head to tie her mask in place. His arms were momentarily around her neck as he did this, his chest against hers again and enjoying the embarrassed look on her face.

"Shirayuki?"

The girl jumped a little at the sound of the familiar voice. She quickly stepped away from Bakugou and looked toward the gate, her face taking on a whole new shade of red as her pulse sped up. "…Sh-Shinsou-kun…?!"

He looked from her to the boy with ash blond hair now standing beside her and holding her hand. "I wanted to see if you had to run errands today," he explained as he leaned an arm against the bars of the gate. "I thought I could help you shop. Like I did last week." As he said this, his indigo gaze slid to Bakugou and narrowed.

"She already has help!"

She bit the inside of her cheek, a bad sort of feeling settling in her stomach. A heavy, guilty feeling that only grew when she glanced toward Shinsou. "…a-actually…um…Bakugou-kun…I-I need to…talk to him…"

Though he was clearly annoyed, he released her hand and growled. "Fine! I'll come back later for dinner." As he mentioned dinner, he glared back at Shinsou through the bars of the gate. "Don't touch my girl, got it? If you even _think_ about touching her-!"

"Your girl?" Shinsou looked past him at Shirayuki, who now had her head down to try to hide the wet sheen of tears in her eyes. The indigo-haired boy softened his expression from the glare and simply moved aside as Bakugou stormed past him to the sidewalk.

_I…feel bad. I don't like this. I feel like I did something wrong. Shinsou-kun broke up with me so why do I feel like this? Is this right? Should I feel bad about Bakugou-kun holding my hand?_ She hiccupped as the tears started to roll down her cheeks and soak into her mask.

Shinsou watched Bakugou disappear around the corner and gingerly approached Shirayuki. "Are you okay?" He saw her nod, but her head was still down and the wet spots on her mask were very obvious. "Is he still bullying you?"

"…he's not…bullying me…um…h-he's actually…been really nice to me lately…" She wiped at her eyes, trying to make her tears disappear, but it did nothing to make that anxious, squirmy feeling in her stomach stop. "…I-I'm sorry…you're probably u-upset…and it's my fault…I'm sorry…"

His mouth fell to a frown and he stepped even closer. Completely disregarding what Bakugou had shouted at him, Shinsou wrapped an arm around Shirayuki in a loose hug and brought her against his chest. "I'm not mad."

"…wh-why do I…feel like my heart is sinking into my stomach…?"

Shinsou knew it was guilt and it made his frown deepen. He half-closed his eyes and held her closer. He liked her and it hurt to see her with someone else, even after the breakup. What hurt worse was to see her feel this guilty over moving on.


	63. Chapter 63

Her heart was beating so hard and so fast that it made her chest feel tight. Shirayuki glanced over at Shinsou as they walked together to the store, clutching the strap of her bag tightly. There were so many things that she wanted to say, but every time she opened her mouth, it felt like her throat was constricting.

He wore a light frown and his gaze was on the ground instead of focused ahead of them. Shinsou's hands were in his pockets, his eyes half-closed as he seemed to mull over everything that had happened in front of Shirayuki's house. It was obviously bothering him, but he seemed to be giving his words great consideration before opening his mouth.

"…y-you…have a bruise on your arm…" she quietly started.

Shinsou's eyes slid toward her and he lifted his arm a little to look. There was a deep bruise on his left forearm, spreading down from his elbow. "Oh. Yeah, it happened during training."

"…my grandmother could heal it…if you want…"

He rubbed the back of his neck and half-shrugged. "I don't want to bother her. It's fine."

"…i-it's no bother…!" She turned to look up at him, her face turning pink behind her mask. "…she…said you're her favorite out of all of my friends…she won't mind healing you, Shinsou…"

A hint of pink rose to his face and he smiled slightly, looking away. "I guess it would be alright, then."

They both went silent again, both falling into deep thought as they continued the shopping trip. Shinsou helped her reach the items on high shelves and insisted on carrying the shopping basket for her, but Shirayuki stayed close in case he looked like he was tired. Honestly, he did seem a little exhausted from his training.

It was on the walk back to her house that he finally let her know what was on his mind. Standing in the kitchen after her grandmother had healed his bruise, he looked to Shirayuki and met her eyes directly. The eye contact made her flush pink and she started to look away, but he put a hand on her shoulder. "Shirayuki. Look at me. I need to tell you something important."

She felt her pulse quicken again and frowned behind her mask. The girl had gradually calmed down, but now she was anxious again. Her stomach twisted into knots as she forced her crimson eyes to remain locked onto his deep indigo ones. "…what…is it…?"

Shinsou put his other hand on her other shoulder, making sure that she would keep looking at him as he spoke. "I still like you," he started. He saw her blush deepen, but he withheld a smile. "I still like you, but I'm not going to ask you out again. Not yet. When I get into the hero course, though, I'll ask you out. And I hope you'll say "yes", but I'll understand if you say "no"."

Shirayuki stared up at him, her nervousness growing with each word. She lifted a shaking hand to tug down her mask and she frowned. "…you…you're going to ask me out…if you get into the hero course…?"

He nodded. "I have to work hard to try to get into the course, but if I make it, I'll ask you out. It's just a little more motivation this way." Shinsou finally flashed her a half-smile and pulled her into a gentle hug.

She had only one day to really think about his confession before she fell into a bunch of incredibly busy days. Studying for her exams, taking her written exams, doing the practical exam. The day of her practical exam, Shirayuki waited near the school gate after classes had ended.

"Hey, Yuki! Are you waiting for someone?" Togata's warm, cheerful voice made the girl look up and he beamed. Walking beside him, Amajiki lifted his head a little from staring at the ground and he visibly tensed.

"…s-sort of…ah…I was…hoping to go with Tamaki…"

"Oh! You had your exams today, right? How'd it go? Was it rough? I remember my first exams here! They were kind of difficult and-!"

"You…want to go with me?" Amajiki asked, anxiously glancing toward her and then away again.

"…yes…um…I-I want to see Fat Gum…I want to tell him…about the exams…" It was a little embarrassing, but Shirayuki really wanted to tell the hero about how her exams went. Talking to Fat Gum was close to talking to her father and she wished more than anything that she could tell her father about how she did.

"That's so sweet! Tamaki, you've got to take her with you!"

The dark-haired boy fidgeted a little and mumbled something under his breath, but nodded. "S-sure. You…can come with me," he agreed.

A hand pressed at Shirayuki's back, pushing her closer to Amajiki while another hand pushed at the boy's back. "And…**_friendship_**! Come on; hold hands!" Togata insisted, smiling brighter than the sun.

"R-right. Ah…" Amajiki hesitantly reached over to take one of Shirayuki's hands in his, a reddish blush spreading across his face and reaching to the tips of his pointed ears. "Let's…let's go." He started leading the way, his facial expression intense from the amount of nervousness he was feeling.

"Oh, right! We still need to make summer plans, you guys! I'll message you both after I leave Sir's office!" Togata called after them, waving.

Amajiki set a brisk pace, keeping a tight hold on her hand when they went through the crowded station. He was silent, but stayed close to her and kept glancing worriedly in the girl's direction. When they boarded the train, he immediately scouted for an open seat and found two of them. "This way."

Shirayuki walked behind him, her head down and avoiding lifting her eyes. It felt more crowded than usual and she could feel her pulse starting to race. She sat beside him, her shoulders hunching as she tried her best to avoid touching the stranger on her other side.

_What would my father think? If I could tell him how the exams went, what would he say?_ Her eyes closed as she remembered an occurrence from when she was a little kid.

She got a good score on a test at school and she was excited about the gold star on her paper. Her mother had been so kind back then. Hikari had told her what a great job she did and her father lifted her up and twirled her around, grinning and telling her how proud he was. He was so happy that he had made her favorite food for dinner that night and surprised her by taking her and Hikari to get cake afterwards.

Thinking about that moment and how proud her father had been, Shirayuki smiled behind her mask. She tried to imagine telling him about her final exams, tried to imagine how him grinning and telling her that he was proud of her. The blissful moment was shattered when the person on her left tapped a fingertip against her knee.

Shirayuki jolted and released a muffled yelp of surprise, her eyes snapping open. She glanced over at the boy on her left, feeling her stomach churn with nervousness. "…d-do you…do you need something…?" she mumbled.

This was a boy she had never seen before, but he looked a bit older than her. He grinned down at her when he saw her glance over. "You're pretty cute. Are you a first-year?"

"…y-yes…"

"Oh, cool! What course are you in? I'm a second-year. General studies. Are you doing anything right now? You want to go for tea somewhere? Are you single? If you need help with any school stuff, I can-"

"**_No_**." The answer came from Amajiki, on her right. His tone was low and firm. An arm wrapped around her shoulders and pulled her against his side, his narrowed eyes focused on the younger boy. He looked intense, even though he was blushing.

The stranger's eyes widened and he held up both hands. "Whoa! Sorry! I didn't notice you over there! My bad!"

Shirayuki's face felt like it was burning from embarrassment, but she muttered a "thank you" to Amajiki and bowed her head. His arm felt warm around her shoulders and it made her feel safe. Her pulse was erratic and she tried to take a deep breath to calm herself down. Dark violet hair fell around her face to hide the intense blush that had turned her cheeks red.

"Yuki, what a surprise! You want to walk with us today when we patrol?" Fat Gum greeted her when they arrived.

"She…finished her final exams today," Amajiki spoke up quietly.

"What?! Okay, I've gotta hear about it! Have a seat and tell me what happened!" Fat Gum looked ecstatic.

"…um…w-well, I passed…" Shirayuki told him the details about the practical exam, knowing that it was probably more interesting to him. She had been paired up with Asui and Tokoyami. The three of them worked fairly well together, but Shirayuki had hardly ever spoken to them so she felt awkward and nervous for most of the exam.

Fat Gum listened intently and grinned when she finished describing the practical exam's events. "Yuki, that's great! You really pushed yourself, huh? I bet you were nervous about working with them, but you showed some real bravery by pushing yourself! I'm really proud of you!"

The words she wished she could hear from her own father, coming from her father's friend. This hero really believed in her. He believed she had what it took to be a hero. Shirayuki felt her throat tightening and she looked down, nervously fidgeting with the hairband around her wrist. "Th-thank you," she stammered.

"I…I think you did well, too," Amajiki commented.

"…thank you…T-Tamaki…"

The professional hero sitting across the desk from them looked from his work study student to the first-year student. His grin faltered for a moment before he tapped a fist against the desk in front of him. "That settles it! After we patrol, I'm treating you both to dinner!"

"…y-you don't…have to do that…" Shirayuki tried to argue.

"I insist! Besides, it's what Umetarou would've done!" Fat Gum's grin spread wider and he stood up. "You know how proud he'd be? He would've taken you out to celebrate so that's what I'm going to do. We'll hit up his favorite restaurant and have a great meal."

While walking with them during their patrol, Shirayuki felt happier than usual. It was almost like a giddiness. A burst of joyful bubbles in her veins every time she remembered what Fat Gum said. He was proud of her and he said that her father would have been proud of her. It made her so overwhelmingly happy.

Despite her mask hiding her face, it was soon obvious that the other two could tell how blissful she felt. Fat Gum put a hand on Amajiki's shoulder and guided him over to stand next to the girl before giving him a slight nudge. The boy's face went a vibrant shade of red and he looked down.

"Yuki…um…after dinner…" He started off very quietly and trailed off, losing his nerve and tugging his hood forward more.

"How's your grandma, Yuki? I haven't seen her in forever, but I remember she made these amazing little cakes that Umetarou used for his quirk," Fat Gum spoke up, giving Amajiki a moment to recover.

"…ah…sh-she's fine…I think…she'd probably like it…if you visited…" Shirayuki still could not remember meeting Fat Gum before Amajiki introduced them, but when she mentioned him to her grandmother, she seemed to remember him. _If he visited…they could talk about my father. Grandma would really like that._

"I'll have to do that! Maybe I could drop by on Sunday. Suneater, what about you? Have you ever met Yuki's grandma?"

The boy jumped a little at being pulled back into the conversation. "Y-yeah. I mean, no. I've…walked her home." He lowered his head some more and winced when they passed a group of people that were staring at them. Amajiki saw Shirayuki start to fidget with the hairband on her wrist and he frowned, protectively moving closer to her. "Yuki, could I…come over for a while?"

Her face started to heat up again and she lowered her head more, letting her hair fall around her face. "…a-alright…"

"So did you guys make any plans? You've got some free time during your summer break, right?" Fat Gum spoke up again, grinning and clearly pleased with Amajiki's courageous move.

"N-no…not yet." The boy slowly moved a little closer to Shirayuki, seeing her tense up from the people that were getting too close to her on the sidewalk. He reached over, his eyes quickly darting away from her as his hand took hers. "Mirio wanted to talk about it tonight, but…the thought of going out somewhere…"

"…I-I don't really…want to go anywhere crowded…" she agreed. His hand felt warm and reassuring as it held hers. Not a tight hold, like when Bakugou held her hand. Not a delicate hold, like when Shinsou held her hand. This was a protective hold, like Kirishima's, that was meant to make her feel secure and it was working.

"Misspent youth," the hero said, shaking his head. "If I was your age, I'd live it up before classes start again. It's not a big window of free time, you know. I guess just make sure you have fun, but stay safe."


End file.
